Final Fantasy: Spirit Union
by Gune
Summary: In the distant future, humans already at war with themselves over ideals and beliefs are about to unleash supernatural ancient forces born of misunderstood legends and myths. Set in our world. My first attempt at a FF fic. Please R&R.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Final fantasy, materia, airships, summoning monsters, or chocobos. This all belongs to Square Soft or Square Enix as they like to call themselves now. Although the characters in this little tale are MINE. Actually I'm not all that possesive of things since anyone can think up a name but they're still MINE. Well the ones I made up anyway are...MINE.

**

* * *

FINAL FANTASY**

**Spirit Union**

**

* * *

Prologue**

**A DRAGON'S TALE  
**

_Existence…this word, its definition gives humanity the ability to tap into its strongest power, 'the will to live.' Ever since my own existence has long since passed what the humans call a millenium, my own understanding of their universal nature, thoughts, and beliefs has evolved, died, and been reborn anew. One could ask me why I believe existence to be what humans value over anything else. Set aside the beasts they become when their existence is threatened. Set aside the bloodthirsty monsters they become when the existence of their blood kin is threatened. To understand the nature of a thing as intelligent as a human being you must observe them in their most serene moments of life. When they are calm…when they are still. A human, uneducated, untamed, and uncivilized will create interesting things. A house to shelter itself, weapons to defend itself, and clothes to cover the sensitive areas of its anatomy. So interesting…with every brick he lay or log he stack the shapeless tools soon claim artistic characteristics. Now safe from the harshness of the world this human now requires food. I sometimes forget how amusing it is to watch humans eat, they try so hard not to rip their meals to shreds like the predators outside the safety of their homes. Humans are above them after all. Why else would they need them for nourishment? Their own existence is more important than that of a few plants or animals. These beasts must have been created for the sole purpose of keeping humans alive. Rain and snow are at first harmless to a human's protective skin but if enough seeps through it could kill the master of plants and animals. This fact means nothing to humans who have reduced the elements of the planet to a mere annoyance a nuisance that disrupts their daily existence. Of course…without rain the poor superior creatures' cores would dry up and no longer function._

_If you are still listening then I assume you are waiting for an explanation of my claim that humans value their own existence over any other. It's simple really if you think about it. Even when humans become the bloodthirsty monsters with boundless strength and limitless courage all in the name of protecting a mate or their offspring, none of this could be done if they themselves did not exist. Even when ending their existence without an inquiry of violence, they would have to exist long enough to end their existence, ensuring the existence of whomever they are trying to protect. This next step which most humans find debatable has summoned my presence into their realm more times than I'd like to remember...existence after existence. When I first came into contact with humans the belief of existence after existence was strong in their minds and culture. They clung to this belief not because they were afraid of nonexistence…no…they weren't afraid…at least not at first._

_The belief was that inside of their flesh, bone, and blood shells, a soul existed. I'm not familiar with the story that sparked this belief, something about a burning bush. Men and women alike who truly believed in this soul performed great and powerful acts over the elements of their world. Oh…did I forget to mention there were two forms of a human? Male and female…without one the other could not exist, but you knew that already didn't you? However, even though proof of their soul theory lay in front of the nonbelievers they continued to deny the idea that there was something more to existence than their own universal nature, thoughts, and beliefs. How could there be? To believe in the soul is to believe in the creator of the soul. This creator to my understanding demands that humans obey him. Every rule he creates they must follow or be doomed to an existence of pure torment in a lake of fire ruled by one who once tried to overthrow this creator of the soul. This, humanity could not accept…who wants to follow rules anyway?_

_With their creator denied, humans created their own explanations for the abilities of the faithful. Witches, demons, freaks, whatever classification placed down upon them it was obvious these people would not be accepted. A millenium or two later it seemed the creator found distaste with what his creation had become. The abilities were gone and replaced by things the humans call machines. These machines, although lacking in power performed the incredible abilities that was once on the tips of humanity's fingers. History had forgotten the long lost magic of the past. It was impossible for a man to part an entire ocean to save his people. Impossible for him to create a wall of fire to block an army of thousands. No man had such abilities and no god existed to grant them to him._

_By this time humanity had separated itself from itself. The once common teachings of the creator were passed down weakly through the generations until vaguely any reference of him was left. Except however for a book that was later deemed false since it too was written and rewritten through the years. The words of those who still believed became mere propaganda. Yes the humans had effectively destroyed god and all reference to him and yet something was still not right. Because of their own intelligence their existence was threatened. If the soul did not exist then god did not exist and if god did not exist then what would happen to them after their existence on Earth ended? Yes Earth, you didn't think they would leave their home world unnamed did you? A simple answer to a simple question. They reclaimed their souls but still left god to his rules. It was now common knowledge on earth that if you lived your life for what humans thought was good then after you die you would reawaken in heaven reunited with your loved ones and live peacefully for all eternity. The belief that you would have to serve an all-powerful being regardless of the good and love he stood for to reach the gates of heaven was just too hard to accept. Even harder to accept was the belief that no matter how kind you were in your existence on earth you would still go to hell unless you surrendered yourself to god's will._

_I can remember when the humans thought of me as a god. Pitiful thing the human mind is. They view what they can't understand first as a god, an all powerful being, then as a threat to their existence and finally as their wonder fades all things they can't understand become tools used to discover their next tool. What fools…or at least that's what _**I**_ want to believe. All of their knowledge and technology allowing them to explore the heavens and yet even after all this time they still can't make up their minds. They cannot decide as a whole whether they will accept the existence of their own souls or not…_

_…I suppose now you're wondering if I believe in the human soul? You must be human if that question is swirling in your mind. Only a human would ask a spirit if he believes in spirits._


	2. Conflict

**FINAL FANTASY**

**Spirit Union  
**

**

* * *

**

**A Drakoneasho Studios Production**

**Written by Gune**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter One **

**CONFLICT**

**Planet – **Earth.

**Year** – 3912 A.D.

**Country** – Vandaria.

**Government** – Democracy.

**Power – **Fourth ranked in the world.

**Status – **Currently under attack by the Kazunian Empire over a severe international incident.

Earth, once green with lush forests, now a blue and silver mesh of light and technology. The once stone and grass covered land now shined bright with titanium roads. Huge skyscrapers with round corners pulsed around and throughout the technological masterpiece known as Volara City. Several vehicles, some multicolored others pure black or silver sped through the streets and skies as their passengers relaxed and enjoyed the ride letting the navigational CPU's direct the cars. A few trees still grew in front of some homes although the plants were no longer needed for the oxygen they generated. An occasional large shadow hovered over the citizens walking to and from what they had to do that night. The shadows took the form of commercial transport ships with battle cruiser escort. Among the civilians, soldiers marched along the streets with their M-240Z (Maco-240th Series Zeta) beam riffles and leather utility belts at the ready. The orange V stitched into the front of the black leather bodysuits the soldiers wore glowed with the millions of lights around the city. Black helmets covered their heads and only their eyes could be seen through the visors in the center of the headgear.

It was obvious the city was under martial law. This was the only way the government could keep the civil unrest that comes with war, under control. The city was safe. Adamantium born walls standing almost as high as the skyscrapers they protected with antiaircraft beam turrets, SAM missile launchers, and ground scraping beam turrets saw to that. Unfortunately for Vandaria, Volara wasn't the target of the Kazunian forces silently sailing undetected over the technology filled waters of earth.

* * *

Tanka Outpost

* * *

Several Vandarian soldiers marched silently around a small shoreline outpost. Two long metal piers connected by several small bridges stretched out extending half a mile over the ocean. At the base of the piers a marine biology lab doubling as a shock troop base camp pulsed with activity. Inside the laboratories, scientists were conducting studies on several of the new life forms man's technological invasion of the sea had created. One creature in particular had caught some of the soldiers' attention. Four VTroopers stood starring at a large tank labeled _Sahagin_ with their beam rifles hanging loosely on black straps around their shoulders. The reptilian creature stood on two webbed feet attached to two stubby legs. Its torso was round with rings wrapping around it and two arms with large fins and three fingers stretching out on either side. A hideous face with dilated eyes and razor sharp teeth took shape on the front of the sahagin's head.

"That is one…ugly mutha fucka." One trooper said, his voice muffled by his helmet.

Another trooper laughed at the comment. "That's what radiation, fused with Materia will do to you man."

"I wonder how ugly it was before it mutated?" The third trooper wondered.

"Why don't you take your helmet off so we can all find out?" The last trooper by the tank suggested.

The eyes in the head of the third trooper sharpened revealing his frown through his helmet visor. "Hey, fuck you man."

The fourth trooper turned her head facing the third. "Hell no. Do you think I want my kids looking like that thing? Or even worse, looking like you?"

Unable to think up a clever come back, the third soldier folded his arms still frowning while the other troopers laughed at him. The sahagin responded to the noise like any other hostile monster trapped behind a tank would. The troopers all jumped back readying their rifles aiming them at the tank as the creature pointlessly punched the reinforced glass. One of the scientists glanced up at the startled soldiers who were about to unleash a flurry of plasma bolts into the monster in front of them. "I wouldn't do that if I were any of you." The woman warned. The soldiers slowly lowered their weapons as the sahagin lost interest in them then turned to the scientist.

"What the hell is that thing anyway?" The first trooper asked.

"A byproduct of the radiation generated from the marine labs on the ocean floor." The scientist explained.

"Like I said, the machines they use pollute the water with radiation. Once they drill out the Materia in the underwater sea caves the radiation fuses with the ore in its raw form and anything that happens to be exposed to it ends up like our fat little friend in the tank." The second trooper added while pointing at the sahagin with his thumb.

"A few mutants shouldn't stand in the way of the advancement of _Elemtech_." The scientist said conversationally. The woman obviously had no respect for any species besides her own.

"I don't know, doc. I've seen some seriously _huge_ freak shows out on the sea. Plus not all of Vandaria is covered with technology, who the hell knows what's out there on dry land outside the cities."

The scientist shrugged nonchalantly. "Go ask someone unable to afford a car. Ground zone travelers usually see some of what's left of the wildlife outside the cities when they travel through the ground tubes to other cities."

The female V Trooper slung her plasma rifle over her shoulder and kept her hand on the handle. "No need for that. I heard that the Kazunians are using some of their own country's mutant freaks in the war effort."

"And what dumbass did you hear that lie from?" The second trooper asked.

"From me." A battle hardened female voice echoed into the second trooper's ear.

The four soldiers turned facing the source of the voice. A gorgeous woman with light purple eyes silently strode into the conversation. Her long sky-blue hair hung untied down to the small of her back. She wore a black skintight bodysuit that left nothing to the three male troopers' imaginations. A silver colored metal utility belt with a curved bladed dagger attached to each side hung at a slant around her waist. Finger sized holes were fashioned into the bottom of the hilts while marble sized slots were grafted into the remainder of the handles. An orange V shrouded in a black circle decorated the center of the belt buckle.

The four troopers stood at attention giving the woman a military salute.

"At ease soldiers." The woman's voice lost some of its firmness.

"Ah, Lieutenant Sena." The female scientist said, acknowledging the fifth soldier to enter the laboratory.

The female V Trooper walked over to the Lieutenant and stopped two feet away from her then playfully punched her shoulder. "Tell these three about those loons at the biotech labs in Kazun."

"I don't know, I mean they were only rumors. No one has actually seen anything like _that_," she pointed at the sahagin "in combat."

"What? Oh come on, Sena are you telling me you lied about the bioweapons?" The female soldier asked.

Lieutenant Sena shrugged as a smile crept onto her face. "Not necessarily. Just tellin' you what, Colonel Deroga, told me."

One of the male troopers finally spoke up. "Well if we can't trust the word of a Lancer_ Pilot_ slash _Techmage_ then we can surely trust the word of a Colonel."

Sena nodded to the trooper then took a quick glance around the lab. Several hundred tanks filled with thousands of different underwater creatures lined the back wall of the facility. One tank constructed into the wall with another resting above it also constructed into the wall. The floor of the building boasted over forty research stations each harboring its own set of cylinder salt water filled tanks. High-tech equipment used to study the creatures floating in the giant test tubes was connected to the tanks through cables and wires.

Sena's stare returned to her friend dressed in the shock trooper uniform. "So, Claire how's the life of a grunt treaten ya?"

A muffled giggle flowed out of the female trooper's helmet. "Get all of the teasing in while you can cause soon I'll be able to get rid of this sweaty uniform and wear my own clothes."

The Lancer Pilot's smile shrunk to a smirk as she tapped the mythril plating cleverly woven underneath the black leather of Claire's uniform protecting the trooper and at the same time allowing her full use of her reflexes. "Maybe, but you'll only be a low level _Techmage_ so technically I _could_ still make fun of you."

Claire's bright green eyes widened with surprise. "But wouldn't it be more fun to have someone help you make fun of shock troopers or pilots?"

Sena laughed softly. "I suppose but once you rise in rank you'll begin to understand why I have so much fun making fun of you. Then maybe you won't mind so much."

Before Claire could protest to her friend's plan an ear piercing alarm shrieked out of the speakers spread out along the roof of the lab. The lights attached to the speakers flashed on painting the inside of the building red. The soldiers dropped their rifles letting them hang by their straps and put their hands on their helmets where their ears would be if they weren't wearing helmets. Sena, seeming to be the only person in the facility not effected by the sirens turned towards the large double door entrance to the lab. A sizable square ringed pool able to fit three battle ships lay in front of the entrance. Usually used to house research submarines and boats back from mutant hunting or Materia scavenging, the silent waters in the pool began to bubble as the entire facility started shaking.

"What the fuck!" One of the troopers shouted.

"Your guess is as good as mine!" Another trooper added.

The scientists of the facility scurried around the floor like lab rats pointlessly trying to salvage their experiments. Before any of the soldiers could react the rumbling intensified as a large spherical dent began to form in the center of the bay doors. A few moments later the sphere exploded and a large bullet shaped car sized cannon shell with a huge fireball engulfing it shot through the smoke surrounding the doors. As the cannon shell zoomed towards the soldiers, Sena's eyes widened as her body began sinking to the floor. "DOWN!" The shell smacked into the back wall and the following explosion incinerated several of the mutated creatures.

Sena, Claire, and the other three V Troopers slowly turned facing the tanks as they stood. Thousands of tiny cracks began sprouting out in all directions along the glass structures. Claire was the first to start backing away, her fellow troopers eventually doing the same. The same sahagin the troopers were taunting only a few minutes earlier stared silently at the cracks spreading across its tank. With one swift punch from its razor sharp fins the glass shattered releasing over forty gallons of water onto the floor of the facility. The tremors from the attack outside and from the shattering glass of the sahagin's former prison caused a chain reaction. All of the glass tanks stacked along the back wall of the lab exploded in a sparkling display of glass and water. The V Troopers were fortunate enough to have put enough distance between themselves and the tanks before the explosion. The scientists however, too concerned with their experiments were caught in the tidal wave of water, glass, and monsters.

The troopers looked on in horror as the unfortunate researchers were smacked with a wave of glass that shredded and decapitated them. Some were lucky enough to survive the onslaught of death shards but they still had to deal with the monsters that quickly began dealing with them. The sahagins glided across the slick floor with more grace than any ice skater could hope to have then leapt onto the faces of terrified scientists putting their fangs to murderously good use. One of the stubby legged creatures tore a hole through the scientist that Claire had spoken to earlier. The poor woman let out a gurgled shriek then hit the floor with a moist thud. The next death dealer to emerge from the wave of destruction was a slimy twelve-foot tall mutant squid. It kept its oval shaped body but its mouth was just above its twenty tentacles that squirmed out in all directions. This creature would not have appeared too out of the ordinary had it not been for the two curved legs sticking out of the left and right sides of its head. These legs were tentacles in their own right and the feet attached to them were eight smaller tentacles.

"Oh my god…the _Squiyan _are loose!" A panicked man yelled.

He tried to run from the beast but his shoes slid on the slippery floor reducing his dash to a wobbling fall. The petrified scientist turned while on the ground and stared up at the beast as its shadow loomed over his trembling body. A loud shriek was the last thing the man heard before the squiyan raised its right leg revealing a small circular hole with a ring of teeth around it. The mini mouth was shoved into the man's face and the tentacles around it made all of his attempts to remove the sharp teeth useless. Over the next five seconds the loud squishy sounds of flesh being ripped and eaten from a human head echoed over the screams of the dying researchers.

Sena turned her stare from the carnage as Claire did the same. The three male troopers, having seen enough of their fellow Vandarians being mutilated by the savage beasts raised their standard military issue M-240Z automatic beam riffles and let loose on the deadly amphibians. Three streams of laser beam fire shot out of the troopers' rifles ripping only a few of the unarmored predators to shreds. Sena's mind finally snapped into attention at the current situation and her military training took over her actions.

"Hold your fire! Don't waste your ammo on these fish! The real enemy is outside!" Sena commanded.

Two of the troopers stopped firing but one was intent on destroying the squiyan that was quickly advancing towards the group of soldiers. He laughed insanely as blood splattered from laser burned holes on the creature's body. "You want some!" He aimed the barrel of his rifle to the creature's left eye. "Here's some!" The bolts of plasma smacked into the squiyan popping the eye out of its socket. "Here's some of this!" The V Trooper yelled while firing and walking towards the monster.

The squiyan's pain filled shriek echoed throughout the laboratory as it raised its tentacles slamming them back to the floor, the tremor knocking a few researchers off their feet. This didn't stop the trooper's advance however, his bravery being a large part of his demise. The squiyan leaned back then shot its body forward releasing a thick black gunk substance from its main fang filled mouth. The trooper's laser shots were absorbed by the black mass first and then the death gunk splashed into the unfortunate soldier himself. The three surviving V Troopers and the Lancer Pilot beside them could barely make out their fallen comrade's gurgled screams over the sizzling of his burning skin. His flesh grew large red bumps that eventually exploded, blood gushing out and blending with the tar like substance covering him. His knees buckled as the weight of the gunk overpowered his deteriorating muscles and he melted away leaving only a black puddle of goo with reddish liquid pulsing through it.

One of the male troopers nearly lost his lunch at the sight of his fallen comrade but forced the food back down not wanting to vomit while wearing a clipped and sealed helmet. Sena turned to Claire then pointed towards the human sized door next to the destroyed bay doors. "Go meet the enemy outside!" She faced the approaching sea monsters. "I'll handle this."

Claire hesitated for a moment then nodded turning to the two male shock troopers. "You heard the lieutenant, let's move out!"

As the shock troopers ran for the exit to the laboratory, Lieutenant Rillian Sena wrapped her right hand covered in a fingerless glove around the dagger attached to the left side of her utility belt. Her left hand quickly enclosed around one of the small metal boxes that made the utility belt a utility belt. Her thumb pressed down on the button on the front of the box and a small green orb about twice the size of her thumbnail fell into her palm. Sena grabbed another small box and tapped the button releasing a small blue orb into her hand. She snapped the orbs into two small slots on the hilt of her dagger and as they settled into the slots a metal sheet slid over them preventing them from falling out due to any sudden impacts. Several of the sea mutants gathered in front of the Lancer Pilot all of them considering her a potential meal. Sena's lips formed a confident smirk as she drew her other dagger. The Lancer Pilot's arms stretched out in front of her holding the daggers together by their hilts. Blue marble sized balls of light began rising around the _Techmage_ as an unseen force lifted her hair causing it to lash out in three different directions. Sena's lips formed a maniacal grin as she glared at the mutants. The _Techmage's_ body slowly rose two feet into the air and with a swift motion Sena slid her index fingers into the holes on the bottom of the daggers and spun them with blinding speed as she stretched her arms out to the left and right. "_Tech'Bolt!"_ Her voice echoed through the facility for a few moments as the blue orbs of light flattened then vanished. Lightning exploded from Sena's hands into the twirling daggers at her sides. She pulled her arms forward combining the electrical energy and three seconds later released the massive lightning bolts scoring a direct hit on the group of monsters. Loud shrieks of pain echoed from the mutant group as electrical currants swirled around their bodies. The lightning traveled through the wet floors electrocuting nearly all of the monsters in the lab. Sena dropped lightly to the floor then brushed a few strands of her hair away from her eyes letting out a sigh of relief. All of the surviving scientists had climbed onto the dry tables and research equipment. Sena turned towards the exit as Claire and the other V Troopers left the building. "Time to go take care of business." She let her words hang in the air for a moment then silently dashed for the exit.

* * *

Outside

* * *

Claire dove behind a cargo crate as soon as she exited the lab. A yellow laser bolt singed off a piece of her uniform that covered her arm exposing the thin but fortunately effective mythril plating. She immediately turned to warn her comrades but was too late as a barrage of plasma fire cut the second V Trooper leaving the laboratory to shreds. "Gavin stay inside!" She yelled to the trooper standing in the laboratory doorway. Claire stood crouched down behind the crate pulling a shrapnel grenade from her belt. She pulled the pin with her teeth then tossed it over the crate in the direction of the Kazunian soldiers advancing from one of the attacking battleships. As battered bodies hit the ground around the crate, Claire glanced up at Gavin who was crouched down by the lab door. "Let's go!" With a quick nod the troopers stood and charged the enemy joining several other V Troopers.

Over sixty Kazunian shock troopers advanced on the Vandarian outpost in organized groups of five. Their dark red leather uniforms laced with mythril didn't hug the soldiers' bodies as tightly as an enemy Vandarian uniform would. A thick red plastic helmet also laced with mythril covered their heads. The helmets had minor facial characteristics with two glass plates that served as eyes. Black boots and silver shoulder plates were the only other colors decorating the outfits. With the newly modified M-245Z beam assault rifles trained on the advancing V Troopers the Kazunian soldiers didn't bother to take cover as they mowed down their enemy with superior firepower.

Claire took cover behind an exceptionally large cargo crate with a few other soldiers. Gavin, three short steps away from the crate was struck down as a yellow laser bolt punched through his visor and out the back of his helmet. Small glass shards and large droplets of blood sprinkled to the ground as Gavin hit the floor. Claire closed her eyes silently cursing to herself then regained her resolve preparing to charge the enemy again. She and the five other V Troopers with her rounded the crate raising their rifles then stopped, some of them almost stumbling over as twelve Kazunian imperials stared them down. It wasn't so much the imperials that shocked the six V Troopers as much as it was the large mechanized vehicle landing behind the Kazunians.

A massive technological fortress of armor with a red camouflage paint scheme slowly hovered down from the night sky then landed with a loud clank behind the Kazunian imperials. Inside the cockpit a Kazunian pilot stood connected to the battle chamber. A black wheel was constructed into both ankles and both shoulders of the armor. The Imperial pilot moved his arms and the armor's arms mimicked the pilot grabbing the two A-51 blasters attached to each side of the armor's waist. Some of the imperials in front of the armor chuckled as others slung their rifles over their shoulders. Claire's eyes widened as she and the other troopers began backing away then stopped as one of the Imperials ordered them to remain still. _We are _**so_ dead._** Claire silently thought.

* * *

Above The Battle

* * *

Sena stared down at the doomed V Troopers from the air. _Shit they brought _Lancer_'s too? What the hell do they want with this place anyway?_ A large black jet with orange stripes shot towards the group of V Troopers. The fighter had a three dimensional triangular body and two thick metal wings. Three mini plasma cannons rested under each wing and two larger plasma cannons were constructed into the left and right sides of the body. A pitch-black visor covered the cockpit hiding Sena from the rest of the world. She glanced at several display screens checking the status of her vehicle then stared into the heads up display screen centering her desired target into the targeting reticule. She held on to the jet's control stick tightly then pressed a green button on the side of it with her thumb. Three seconds later two rectangular hatches, one on each wing, snapped open with a gaseous hiss. Three small missile silos attached to each hatch rose into the night air. Sena held her thumb over a small red button on the top of the control stick as a loud lock confirming tone rang in her ears. "Let's bring on the noise."

* * *

Back On The Ground

* * *

Claire slowly opened her eyes wondering why the Imperials hadn't killed her. A feint whistling sound answered her question. She turned around as the whistling brought several of her comrades' hands to their ears and spotted six missiles rocketing towards her. _Wait…they weren't aimed at us…they were aimed at…_ The missiles shot in between the V Troopers and Kazunian Imperials past the _Terrain Class_ Lancer then smacked into the ground instantly vaporizing a small group of imperials. The V Troopers used the distraction to take cover back behind the cargo crate. Claire tossed another grenade around the corner of the crate. The small explosive rolled to a stop in front of the pursuing Imperials.

Sena slammed her palm onto a bright orange button on the right side of the cockpit. The Lancer pilot's jet began transforming. Its wings rotated as two colossal legs extended from the bottom of the cockpit. The wings retracted and were replaced with two arms. Sena let go of the control stick as the cockpit rose and the pilot's seat retracted back into the newly formed head of the vehicle. Sena stood to her feet allowing the cybernetic connection gear to latch onto her arms and legs. As the jet completed its transformation into a Lancer it landed on two legs in front of Claire's grenade explosion. The _Air Class_ Lancer took a fighting stance as raging flames, bodies, blood, and organs flung out in all directions behind it. As the flames died down a small hatch opened above the propulsion engine on the back of Sena's Lancer and a silver 42ft long rod with the letters 'llo' etched into it shot out of a cylinder shaped hole. Sena caught the rod in her right mechanized hand and held it out in front of her. Her left hand rose as the rod extended into a lance with a curved blade on each end. As the lance extended, the name etched into the weapon, _Swallow_ was revealed. She held the bladed staff down by her side and signaled to the T-Lancer for an attack with a 'bring it on' gesture.

The T-Lancer returned its blasters to the holsters constructed into its waist and caught its own lance as the weapon shot from its back. The two mech warriors stood silently as the battle around them raged on. An explosion erupted on the far right of the Lancers as they charged each other. Sena spun her Swallow while raising it high into the air then slashed down towards the T-Lancer's cockpit. Sparks flew into the air from the impact of mythril on adamantium and a loud clang echoed throughout the area. Hundreds of sparks rained down on the battlefield as the Lancers squared off trying to draw out an advantage over one another.

"Shouldn't we help her or something?" One of the V Troopers asked.

"How the _fuck_ do you suggest we do that?" Another trooper answered.

"Just shut up and wait for Sena to clear a path." Claire ordered.

"Uh huh, and what if she looses?"

"Looses?" Claire laughed at the question. "Just watch her work."

Sena rolled to the side coming to a stop on one knee and blocked a downward slash from her opponent. She struggled from the wait of the mech but managed to push him back. Capitalizing on the opening she leapt into the air spinning twice before landing with a ground-denting thud. The A-Lancer's arms were stretched out and up, the Swallow still firmly gripped in its right hand. The T-Lancer staggered back with a large gash in its face and chest revealing a decapitated pilot. Blood and electrical currents sparked out of the T-Lancer's chest as it stumbled to the ground creating a small crater in the metal floor.

Claire ran up to the A-Lancer with a group of V Troopers. She stopped beside the mech as four red objects shot into the sky from the attacking black battleships. She glanced up at the cockpit of the A-Lancer unable to see her friend through the mech's eyes, which were two darkened visors. The visors slowly opened with a silent hiss revealing the pilot of the A-Lancer.

"What now, Sena?" Claire asked making no attempt to hide her fear.

_She's asking me? How the hell should I know?_ Sena swallowed hard gazing up at the approaching enemy A and T-Lancers. "My squad got held up securing another outpost closer to Volara. They should be here any minute now though."

"We don't have a minute, we're already getting pushed back by their shock troops already. We're outnumbered here no one thought this place would be this important to the imperials." A V Trooper pointed out.

"Don't you think I know that! Just shut up!" She stared down at Claire. "Radio the other troops, tell them to fall back and protect the evacuation A.T.R.'s (All Terrain Rollers)!"

Claire nodded to the lieutenant then raised her right hand to the bottom of her helmet holding down a small black button. "This is, Private First Class, Claire Reynolds." She held her rifle at the ready in her left hand and the comlink switch of her helmet with her right hand while walking back towards the laboratory with the other V Troopers beside her. "All units have been ordered to pull back and protect the evacuation A.T.R.'s. I repeat, all units have been ordered to protect the evacuation A.T.R.'s."

Sena launched her Lancer into the air reforming it into a jet after an enemy Lancer landed on the ground in front of her. This advanced design took the form of a car that rolled low to the ground on all terrain wheels. A clear cockpit visor revealed the pilot of the mech lying forward, his arms and legs stretched into four different compartments of the vehicle. The enemy Lancer spun around as four SAM (Surface to Air Missile) launchers snapped open around the cockpit. The Kazunian Lancer Pilot stared into his HUD waiting for the lock confirming tone. The imperial smiled as his mech's crosshairs centered on the back of Sena's Lancer.

Claire's eyes widened as the heat seeking missiles launched from the enemy Lancer towards her friend. She dropped her rifle and quickly pulled down the top half of her bodysuit uniform. Unable to find any suitable cover from her fellow officers she only sighed as she felt the many male and perhaps a few female eyes staring up and down the gorgeous nearly naked top half of her body. She reached down and pulled out a small pouch strapped to her panties while silently thanking Sena for persuading her to wear a bra. _Just a few more weeks and I won't have to hide these anymore._ She pulled her suit back on, picked up her rifle, then ran towards a parked cargo truck. The top of the vehicle gave her a better view of the carnage her fellow V Troopers were going through as they were slowly being overtaken by the attacking imperials. A small bracelet with one Materia slot fashioned into it was hidden in the pouch along with two Materia orbs, one green and one yellow. After fastening the bracelet to her wrist, Claire snapped the green Materia into the slot and a metal sheet slid over it. As Sena's A-Lancer shot past Claire the V Trooper unfastened her helmet then tossed it to the side. She shook her head letting her long brown hair fall onto her shoulders and just above the small of her back. Her hand opened, slowly rising into the air. "Ok…take a deep breath…let the element's power flow through you…" She thought back to what Sena had taught her about casting spells. "Don't exhale until the spell is finished…and your body will suffer a lot less fatigue…" _Here we go. _Small red orbs of light began to rise around Claire from the roof of the truck as her hair lashed out in different directions. She aimed her palm in the flight path of the SAM missiles. "_Tech'Fire!"_ Claire's hand trembled as orange flames sprouted around it. Two seconds later a ball of fire roughly the size of a basketball formed in front of the V Trooper's hand then shot towards the missiles. The flame attack smacked into the lead missile and the resulting explosion lit up the night sky for over three minutes.

Claire let out the deep breath she was holding as an energy draining fatigue from the spell pushed her back onto her butt. The V Trooper breathed heavily with sweat glistening on her face. "You better not pick up any more missiles Sena cause I _know_ I won't be doing that again for a while." Claire grabbed her helmet then slowly stood to her feet. She started towards the edge of the truck then fell face first onto the metal roof as the enemy T-Lancer that fired on Sena rammed into the cargo crate hauling vehicle. "God damnit go pick on someone else I'm too tired to cause you guys anymore trouble!" The T-Lancer transformed into its humanoid form and drew its blasters. Claire turned her head at the sound of the noise and saw the mech aiming its guns at the truck. Fear painted itself onto the V Trooper's face as she quickly rose to her feet. "Holy…Sh…" Realizing it would be wiser to use her remaining energy for running instead of talking, Claire dashed for the end of the truck as two huge red laser bolts smacked into the vehicle. Claire's helmet was engulfed in red and orange flames after she dropped it and the frantic trooper almost dropped her now seemingly two-ton beam rifle to gain more speed but she was already in the air before she could act on the decision.

As Claire dropped from the air, Sena's A-Lancer shot into the flames of the exploding truck. Sena's mech emerged from the flames in humanoid form, and with a silent swipe, landed behind the red T-Lancer on one knee, Swallow clenched tightly in its right hand. The top half of the T-Lancer slowly slid off its bottom half then hit the pier with a ground-shaking thud. With the Materia fusion engine of the T-Lancer exposed to the raging flames from the truck, Sena's A-Lancer slowly stood to its feet as another explosion erupted behind it. Electrical currents zapped out in all directions from the blood red flames. Sena gazed up at the three enemy A-Lancers rocketing towards her and let out a small sigh.

"Guess we all gotta go someday…" Sena said, as an air ripping sound besides the one generated by the enemy Lancers caught her attention.

"Yeah, but today's not the day for you doll face." A confident male voice filled Sena's cockpit.

Sena's lips formed a slight smirk as she turned her Lancer allowing her a view of the skies in front of her and the skies behind her. "It's about time you guys showed up."

Three Vandarian A-Lancers shot through the air towards the three remaining Kazunian A-Lancers. All three were painted black. One had a purple spike design lighting up its black paint. Another was covered in hundreds of small red spots. The third boasted a silver tiger stripe display. Sena lifted her Lancer into the air with a short rocket boost and transformed it back into its jet form joining her squadron.

"Alright, now that we got these fuckers on the frying pan," she reloaded her craft's missiles, "let's fry em'."

"Should we break off now or do you wanna give em' a good kick in the nuts first?" One of Sena's wingmen asked.

"Hey you know the old _Mad Cats_ motto Terri, any squadron stupid enough to fly against us deserves a good kick in the nuts!" Sena replied. "Standard diamond formation, lock and load those missiles ladies and gentlemen," Sena's missile silos raised from her wings, "it's time to break some jewels."

The four Lancers maneuvered into a diamond formation as their missile silos snapped into position. Two seconds later, the three imperial Lancers were hit with a barrage of twenty-four missiles. Two of the Imperials broke off from their formation only suffering minor damage from the explosions. The lead enemy pilot hesitated for only a split second and his slow reflexes cost him dearly. One of the Vandarian missiles smashed through his cockpit pinning him to his seat. The following explosion imploded his Lancer from the inside out leaving nothing except a few pieces of scrap metal.

"Score!" One of the _Mad Cats_ yelled.

"What the hell do you mean score? That was _my_ kill!" Terri corrected.

"What? Are you blind? That missile clearly belonged to me!"

"Screw you Max, my CPU is already logging in the kill!"

"Will you two shut up, there are still more imps out there!" Sena ordered.

"Yeah shut up and pay attention. Besides…_My_ CPU is logging in the kill." The fourth pilot in the formation said confidently.

"SHUT UP DENNY!" Terri and Max shouted.

Sena shook her head as she smiled. "Why don't all three of you shut up, it was my kill and that's the end of it. Say anything else and I'll have all of you cleaning the bird shit off my Lancer for the next month." She centered her targeting reticule on one of the battle ships. "Now, break off. Max and Denny, you two take those Lancers. Terri, you and I will go for the battleships. We gotta give the A.T.R.'s a good head start so let's stop those ships from releasing anymore shock troops." The three members of the _Mad Cats_ gave their wing commander a firm, "yes ma'am" and the four Lancers broke formation engaging their assigned targets.

"How did these assholes get through our defensive line anyway?" Terri asked.

"Hell if I know. I never did much like the navy. The lazy bastards were probably off fishing somewhere instead of paying attention to their radar scanners." Sena replied.

Another wave of missiles from the two pilots crashed into one of the black imperial battleships scattering and vaporizing many of the Kazunians onboard. Sena, capitalizing on the weakened state of the vessel pulled her craft up higher into the air then let her Lancer free fall transforming it into its humanoid form. As she caught her Swallow the lance spun with blinding speed in her hand then sliced through the center of the ship. Sena's Lancer vanished under the ocean waves as loud metal grinding noises echoed from the wounded battleship. Seconds later the ship snapped in half and both ends slowly sank beneath the black waves. Sena's Lancer exploded from the ocean in a sparking display then sheathed the Swallow and reformed into a jet.

"Nice one commander." Terri applauded.

She flew past another battleship and pulled up behind it transforming her Lancer into its humanoid form. Terri pulled a large cannon sheathed on the back of her Lancer to the front of the mech aiming the barrel at the deck of the battleship. She hoisted the cannon onto her shoulder and squeezed the trigger launching a large silver ball that peeked out from underneath black armored plating onto the deck of the imperial ship. The crew of the Kazunian battleship stared at the device for a moment then pure terror spread across their faces as the ball began rumbling and a bright silver light shined through the openings in its armor. Hundreds of terrified Kazunians ran towards the rails of the ship and as the armored device exploded only a few of them managed to make it off the ship. Green flames spread throughout the ship causing several more explosions sinking the vessel.

Terri giggled while watching the ship sink. "_That_ was nicer."

Sena giggled a bit herself as she scanned the battlefield for the other two members of her squadron. "We'll let the other squads decide when we get home."

One of the two remaining Imperial Lancers barrel rolled towards the ocean trying to dodge the constant plasma beam fire from Denny's Lancer. The craft leveled off a second before it crashed into the ocean and two lines of laser fire splashed the seawater into the air around the mech. As the red A-Lancer pulled up into the air three missiles launched from Max's A-Lancer smacked into its nose and left wing. The craft broke apart as orange flames melted the weak sheet metal underneath its armored adamantium plating then smashed into the ocean. The pilot of the craft screamed in agony as she sunk beneath the ocean while the flames inside her cockpit cooked her alive.

"Damnit Max, that one was mine!" Denny shouted.

Max chuckled a bit while he answered. "You snooze you loose buddy."

Max laughed loudly and almost didn't notice the six missiles firing past his Lancer. He checked his rear view camera display and watched as the final imperial Lancer exploded in a large ball of flames. Denny cleared his throat loud enough for Max to hear over his comlink.

"Who's snoozing now, mutha fucka?"

Max sighed in relief as his lips formed a smile. "Alright, alright, you the man you the man."

"Damn straight." Denny said triumphantly.

"If you boys are done with your little 'cockfight' we have some A.T.R. units to escort." Sena ordered.

"Hey what do you mean _little?_" Both men asked.

Sena and Terri answered the question with loud laughter as the four Lancers shot across the ending battle towards the evacuation A.T.R.s. The A.T.R. units were of simple design: a large armored truck with a rectangular body that lowered into a slant at the back. The wheels underneath the heavy vehicles were capable of traversing any terrain on land from the few remaining forests outside the cities to the rocky plains near yet to be mined mountain ranges. If need be the wheels could spike into the mountains themselves and scale the steep slopes at a speed of over 100mph. The slanted back of the final unloaded A.T.R. snapped open with a low hiss and the few remaining researchers and construction workers of the lost outpost crowded into the vehicle. As the A.T.R. sped away twenty newly loaded A and T-Lancers shot from the remaining ten imperial battleships.

"It's a good thing they obviously weren't expecting any Lancers to be here or they would have had more prepared." Max said with a sigh of relief.

"Yeah…" Sena replied uneasily. _I don't know, even if they didn't think we'd be here it's unlike the imperials to launch so few units when they have that many._

She brought up her rear view camera display on her HUD monitor and zoomed in on the lost laboratory. A concerned frown crept onto her face as she saw several of the surviving mutants being netted and hauled off towards the battleships.


	3. Elemtech Academy

**Chapter Two **

**ELEMTECH ACADEMY  
**

Private Claire Reynolds stared up into a rectangular mirror. Her hair was frizzy and small bags were swollen underneath her eyes. She sniffled then let out a long-winded yawn. Running water echoed inside the small room that Claire stood in as she slowly lifted a blue toothbrush in front of her teeth. "Alof ourf advanshed techslology," Claire mumbled as she brushed her teeth, "ansh we stilsh can't finsh a betstersh toolf to cleansh oursh teefsh wiff." After Claire finished brushing her teeth she removed the white tank top and cotton pink colored panties covering her body then stepped into a shower on the left end of the bathroom.

A stone plateau measuring roughly five miles in diameter rested undisturbed and encircled by a large mountain range. A top secret Vandarian training facility covered the surface of the plateau with holographic camouflage generators hiding its presence atop the stone structure. Inside the camp hundreds of future _Techmages_ hurried to their assigned classes. Claire Reynolds, wearing her V Trooper uniform minus the standard issue weaponry and helmet dashed down a metal sidewalk towards her class. A loud buzzer rang in her ears confirming what the soldier feared. Claire burst into her classroom interrupting a lecture in progress. All of the students turned in their seats to stare at the exhausted _Techmage_ cadet. The instructor of the class looked up at Claire. "You're late, Miss Reynolds."

Claire sighed in annoyance while walking to an empty seat. "Sorry if I needed a little extra sleep after nearly getting fricasseed last night."

The instructor smiled. "Don't worry Claire, this is not grade school you don't have to worry about being paddled just because you're a little late."

Claire frowned and at the same time, smiled adorably. "Aww and I was really looking forward to you spanking me."

After silencing all of the laughter in the classroom, the instructor continued his lecture. "It's finals time ladies and gentlemen. Soon some of you will be powerful mages."

"Um, don't you mean _Techmage_, Captain Serge?" One of the students asked.

The instructor glanced at the soldier. "Oh…right, _Techmage_." He folded his arms. "And why is it _Techmage_ instead of just mage?"

"Because technology recovers the raw Materia, processes it into usable orbs, then weapons and accessories are designed to allow human use. Since so many machines are a part of the whole magic process some glory addict scientist slapped 'tech' in front of mage and here we are now."

Serge smiled at Claire. "I see you won't be having any problems with the written portion of the final." He took a few steps forward returning his stare to the entire class. "How is everyone's endurance holding up?"

"Sir I've got a serious problem." A student said while raising his hand.

Serge turned to the man. "What is it, Benson?"

"Well I know I'm not the most athletic guy in the military but I have been going through intense endurance training for most of last year. Every time I try and include Materia in that training though…" The cadet sunk in his seat. "I always pass out."

Serge tried his best to hold in a chuckle while his students laughed at the poor cadet. "I don't know what to say Benson. Some people have a higher affinity for magic than others."

"But I thought with training my MP (Magic Power) would eventually rise!" Benson whined.

"Magic isn't only about endurance, the power of the elements flowing through your body take more than a physical toll on you." Serge stated.

"Sir, are you talking about that whole _Gaia _theory…?" One of the female students asked.

Serge held his head down closing his eyes. "Is it really so hard to believe? Magic drains its caster but it has been recorded that some mages have been able go as far as unleashing summoning Materia even after all of their magic power was gone." Serge's eyes slowly opened as his gaze rose to the class. "Is it really so hard to believe that your MP comes from something other than adrenaline?"

The class fell silent for a handful of minutes before Claire broke the tension. "I doubt the planet has a soul, we've been to the center of the earth already. There's nothing there but lava and magma."

Serge let out a nonchalant grunt as he smirked. "Never said I believed the _planet_ has a soul."

A loud buzzer rang and the students of the Elemtech class crowded around the room exit until all but one remained. Claire stared at Serge as the instructor walked towards her. He wore a long brown leather overcoat, a brown vest, a dark blue T-shirt, brown cargo pants and beige sneakers. He had short green messy hair and a long loch of it hung over his forehead between his blue eyes. Claire smiled as the Elemtech instructor wrapped his arms around her pulling her close. The two gazed into each other's eyes for almost a minute.

"You know, it really isn't appropriate for a teacher to be dating a student." Serge said with hints of seriousness and humor in his voice.

Claire slid her hands up Serge's chest then wrapped her arms around his neck. "Are you saying you want me to stop seeing you? I hope not. Any student knows that dumping a teacher right before the finals is an academic death sentence."

Serge chuckled a bit while brushing some of Claire's hair away from her eyes. "Well I suppose the fact that we're both consenting adults erases all the morale boundaries between us."

Claire kissed Serge softly then pulled her lips away. "Most, not all."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Serge agreed, rubbing the back of his head with his right hand. "So…do you wanna get the ruler or should I?"

"What? No paddle?" Claire giggled.

"Well unlike the other students I've slept with I actually have genuine feelings for you. If you ask around I'm sure you'll find out paddles can sting."

Claire's lips formed an adorable smile as her head titled to the side. "Aww…but isn't that kind of the point though?"

Serge smiled. "Yeah, but I think I'll start you off with something light. I wanna excite those ass nerves, not pop them."

A blue haired woman dressed in a black skintight bodysuit cleared her throat loud enough for the couple to hear.

"If you two are done with your," she cleared her throat again, "_studies,_ I have something I need to discuss with the good captain."

Lieutenant Sena, Captain Serge, and Private Reynolds slowly walked down a silver sidewalk past several buildings and hundreds of students.

"So, how's the naughty professor life treaten ya?" Sena asked with a small smile on her face.

"Horrible." Serge replied.

"It's that bad?"

"Yeah, it wouldn't be if there was some actual naughtiness for me to enjoy."

Claire frowned then stuck her tongue out at the instructor.

"The power that thing holds over me is unimaginable." Serge said holding in a chuckle. He put his arm around Claire as she giggled. "So what did you want to talk to me about, Sena?"

Sena waited until after a group of students walked by before she answered. "I'm sure by now you know about the attack on the shoreline research lab last night?"

"What about it?"

"That was the first time Kazunian soldiers have set foot on our country since this whole war started."

"Technically we're not at war with them _yet_. No one in power has declared anything on anyone."

As Serge finished his sentence a large plasma screen attached to a tall building behind the three soldiers flashed on. Everyone who happened to be outside of the training facilities gazed up into the huge TV as a small group of middle-aged men and women appeared on the screen. They sat at a long wooden table dressed in fancy suits with their hands clasped together. All of their expressions were stone cold hiding any thoughts or emotions running through them.

"My fellow Vandarians," one of the men near the center of the group spoke, "it has come to our attention during recent developments that the Kazunian Empire desires no peaceful solution regarding the death of Emperor Guan Suenada's nephew, Yen Kang." He cleared his throat before continuing. "Unable to accept the fact that the Leviathan summoning caused by the nuclear reactor explosion was an accident, the emperor has made it quite clear that his satisfaction will come at no less the fall of Vandaria."

Another one of the suited politicians, a woman near the center of the group spoke next. "We have sent ambassadors to our allied nations of America and Japan whom have promised to aid us with…political and financial support but have strongly expressed their intentions to keep their own forces out of the coming conflict."

A man seated at the far end of the table lowered his head as the cameras centered on him. His eyes rose to stare at every Vandarian watching TV that morning. "It is with my utmost regret to inform you that as of 10:23 a.m. …we, the _Orange Sun_ council of Vandaria, by order of President Dalton in response to the hundreds of deaths brought upon this country by the Kazunian Empire, have formally declared war on Kazun."

Sena glanced around the Elemtech academy at the many students, whose stares were pinned to the large plasma TV. Smiles and smirks appeared on a few excited faces while most of the soldiers lowered their stares to the ground making no attempt to hide their fear. She turned to Serge and Claire and folded her arms.

Serge shrugged as a nonchalant expression covered his face. "You were saying?"

"I saw them carting away some of the mutants that escaped from the lab but I don't think those were what they were really after." Sena explained.

"Then why attack a near defenseless laboratory?" Claire asked.

Sena hesitated for a moment wondering if she should divulge what she knew to her friend. "Well the…uh…"

Serge put his free hand on Sena's shoulder. "Hey don't go X Files on us, you know anything you want to tell me you can tell Claire."

Sena nodded in agreement. "It's not that I don't trust you Claire it's just people are going to start dying for information a lot less important than this." Seeing that her words brought no hints of fear to her friend's face she continued. "The lab the imperials hit was one of the many research facilities that received purified Materia and radioactive mutant specimens. There's a difference between that lab and most of the others though…"

"What?" Claire anxiously asked.

"All of the summoning _anomalies_ as scientists like to call them were once considered myths and fairy tailed creatures. Even though they've now been documented and filed away in our history, the _Leviathan_…unlike the others we have actual recordings of that dragon being worshiped as a god back in medieval times."

Serge smirked. "Don't tell me all the white coats are worried people are going to start believing in gods instead of them again."

Sena shook her head while smiling. "Nah, it's not that. It's just, Materia researchers had all but given up their search for the summoning Materia with the power to call the Leviathan and…_Bahamut_. People started thinking the beasts never existed."

"Now that everyone knows they do, things are going to get pretty heated around the world." Serge added.

Sena nodded. "It hasn't been proven but intelligence believes that the imperials somehow found out that we discovered the Leviathan summoning Materia in an underwater cavern and Yen was sent to…_borrow_ some of it. During the fight radiation was released into the raw Materia and well you both know the rest."

"So the whole thing about Leviathan's attack destroying Yen's private jet was a cover up excuse for Kazun to attack us." Claire said.

"Yeah and they're down there right now at Marotherma Labs searching the caverns for more Leviathan Materia. Several of our people are still down there being held prisoner…at least I hope those imperial bastards took prisoners."

Claire thought about why Sena would come all the way out to the middle of nowhere to tell Serge about a lost Elemtech lab. It only took a few seconds for the realization of the situation to hit her. "You're going down there to stop the imperials," she turned her stare to Serge, "and you want Matt to go with you."

Sena already knew the plan Claire was thinking up from the tone of her voice. "Claire I know what you're thinking but I can't help you out on this one. The casualty estimate for a shock troop assault was over sixty percent and that was measured against our best units."

"They're actually going to send a full _squad_ of _Techmages_ down there?" Serge wondered.

"Leviathan is the most powerful summoning monster of the water element. If the imperials have gotten their hands on more of its Materia a team of mages has a better chance of stopping them from using it."

"Hey I'm going to be…" Claire tried to protest but Sena interrupted her, "a low level _Techmage_ in three weeks."

Sena shook her head as she continued. "The first of the two problems to that scenario is only high level _Techmages_ can volunteer for this mission and the second is we're launching in two weeks."

"The imperials could be gone in two weeks." Serge pointed out.

"I know, but as you know there haven't been that many missions that required the skills of over five _Techmages_ at one time."

"Can't you guys just give me my diploma without making me go through the final exam? We all know I'm gonna pass." Claire begged.

"Yes you will pass, too bad I won't be here to see it." Serge said.

A hint of surprise spread across Sena's face. "So you're going?"

Serge nodded. "I saw the flight recorder video of when Leviathan destroyed Yen's jet but I wanna see him up close and personal. Besides if there's a lot of the red stuff down there I know the brass will put the survivors on the top of the list when they hand it out in its processed form."

Claire folded her arms and took a few steps away from Serge and Sena. Serge stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist then lowered his chin onto her shoulder. Claire leaned back a little and closed her eyes as she thought about the hundreds of things known and unknown beneath the ocean that could kill Serge.

"Hey, what's the matter with you Claire? You don't think anything's goin' to happen to us down there do you?" Serge asked.

"The thought had crossed my mind." Claire replied.

"Well stop thinking up bullshit like that. It's not like we're going down there armed only with assault rifles. We've got the most powerful magic known to man at our disposal and if that ain't enough…well I can always call on old man _Ramuh_ to lend a hand." Sena assured her.

Serge tightened his grip around Claire's waist. "And if the old geezer can't cut it I can always have _Shiva_ step in."

Claire forced a small smile onto her face. "Just…be careful…" she glanced at Sena, "both of you, alright?"

Sena patted Serge on the back while smiling at Claire. "Come on, when have we ever _not_ been careful?"

* * *

One Week Later

* * *

Claire buried herself in her training to take her mind off of the coming mission her boyfriend and best friend volunteered for. She stood in a short line of seven trainees as a spell casting instructor walked up and down the line eyeing each student.

"If _any_ of you wannabes are serious about becoming a _Techmage_ then I'm sure you've all seen several recorded battles of those who have graduated from _Twilight Dragon_ academy." The instructor said while walking with his hands clasped at the small of his back. "I don't want to see any fancy poses, no martial arts stances and absolutely NO chanting! Dancing around like boy bands and babbling on like some pointed hat wearing homosexual isn't going to do anything on the field but get your guts spilled onto the ground!" He stopped in front of the center of the line glaring at the cadets. "Just hold your hand out and shout the spell, do you get me!"

"We get you sir!" The cadets yelled.

Claire remembered Serge's words as she took a deep breath and began gathering her energy for a spell. _You don't really have to say anything to use a spell. Thinking it is enough but you have to clear your mind of everything but the one word that activates the magic inside the _Materia_. When you have fifty plasma bolts flying over your head and your friends are dying all around you, you can imagine how difficult it is to think of nothing but one word. That's why most people shout the spells they're using, some even chant before saying the actual word. In the end though if you want to be able to handle any situation a Techmage has to face you'll have to learn how to clear your mind of those situations and focus on the spell, not your comrades, not the mission, just the spell._

Dark blue orbs of light rose from the ground surrounding Claire. Her hair lashed out in all directions as she slowly raised her hand aiming her palm at a life-sized model of a military jeep. She took a deep breath as the orbs flattened and vanished. _Ice._ A line of blue sparkling air the size of Claire's palm shot towards the model jeep then encircled it. Crackling sounds of ice fussing with metal echoed in the soldiers' ears as they watched the jeep slowly become encased in ice. The vehicle wasn't covered in a block of ice, instead several half-diamond crystals sprouted from the doors, wheels, windshield, and tires.

The instructor stared at the jeep for a handful of moments then turned facing Claire. "Exhale cadet, well done."

Claire let out her breath and smiled. "Thank you sir!"

"Hey did you hear her say the spell? I didn't hear her say the spell." One of the male cadets silently asked a female cadet standing next to him.

The instructor stepped in front of the confused cadet striking fear into the poor man with his authority-demanding glare. "She didn't shout the spell because unlike you she has enough discipline to PAY ATTENTION to the current situation! Now drop, and give me push ups!"

The cadet snapped to parade rest. "Sir, how many sir?"

"Get on the ground and don't stop till I tell you!" The instructor barked.

"Yes Drill Sergeant," the cadet dropped to the ground and began doing push-ups, "one Drill Sergeant, two Drill Sergeant, three Drill Sergeant…"

The instructor walked back and forth down the line as the cadet obeyed his command. "This is what happens when you talk! You will never talk when under my command! If you ever say something it will be what I ordered you to say so you won't be talking _I_ will be talking!"

Ten minutes later sweat began falling off the cadet's face as his annoyance could be heard in his voice. "_124 Drill Sergeant, 125 Drill Sergeant, 126 Drill Sergeant._"

"Alright cadet get up." The Sergeant ordered.

The cadet slowly stood to his feet breathing heavily.

"You did a lot of pushups during basic training didn't you soldier?" The Sergeant asked.

The cadet smiled as he sighed. "Yes Drill Sergeant."

"Well you don't have to worry I'll never ask you to do another."

"Thank you Drill Sergeant."

"You just graduated to peeling potatoes."

The cadet moaned regrettably then fell back to the ground too exhausted to move.

* * *

One Hour Later

* * *

"To master the art of summoning is the ultimate goal of any _Techmage_. Take into consideration that some of you will never be able to accomplish this feat even if you master the highest levels of normal magic." A middle aged woman stated to her class.

"Um…why wouldn't we be able to summon if our MP is high enough?" A cadet asked.

The instructor lowered her head smiling. "Summoning anomalies are called from a different dimension, they won't come if they don't like who's calling. Some people have a higher sensitivity to one or two elements than others and as you all know the anomalies are of the four elements earth, wind, fire and air…"

Claire raised her hand then spoke before the instructor acknowledged her. "What about Bahamut?"

A bit surprised, the instructor turned her stare to Claire. "What about him?"

"Isn't his power non elemental?"

The instructor hesitated for a moment before answering. "There are no records of non elemental magic ever being used."

"Yeah but there were recently no records of Leviathan ever being summoned except things people passed off as myths."

Unlike most of her fellow teachers, Ms. Roze Hoover took a more serious approach to her job. Instead of casual clothes, a red overcoat, white blouse, and long red skirt extending down just above her knees covered the summoning instructor. Uncomfortable red high heels clicked with each step she took and her brown hair remained still in its dull bun formation. "Well take into consideration that all known _myths_ surrounding Bahamut have told of a gigantic _fire_ breathing dragon. Granted his flames split and caused several separate explosions, the explosions were still of the fire element."

"True, but wasn't an ancient tablet describing the destruction of some city found near the center of the earth? I'm pretty sure it said…_As I gazed up at the heavens, the ground beneath me darkened under the shadow of the king of dragons. Our forces were too late in rescuing our summoner, he has been tempted by evil and his will now beckons for the destruction of all things. His spirit, combined with that of the dragon king produced a raging flame as black as the night's sky that holds no weakness to any of the known elements_."

"You do know that little fairytale discredits all of the nonsense surrounding the different _Flare_ spells. From what I've heard the flame is supposed to be gray and inside it the four colors of the natural elements are…I don't know all…swirly." A female cadet joined the conversation.

"It doesn't discredit it if you really think about it. Like Miss Rose said, some people have a higher sensitivity to specific elements so maybe if your element is fire then a Flare spell you cast will be gray with hints of red flame. If you have no special sensitivity to the elements then maybe it's just pitch black and obviously if you can master all four elements then it'll be gray and…_swirly_."

The instructor, Miss Hoover stared at Claire while keeping her thoughts from spilling out onto her face. "I'll tell you this much Miss Reynolds, if you ever do find any concrete proof about all of your unusual theories I'll be the first to recommend you for my teaching position at Twilight Dragon Academy."

Claire sunk in her seat a little as her cheeks turned red. "Um…thanks…I think."

* * *

Thirty Minutes Later

* * *

"So what was it like using magic in actual combat?" An excited cadet asked.

"Imagine Sergeant Gregor's face painted on every imperial in the area shouting at you the only way he knows how. Then imagine having to ignore him and concentrate on saving your best friend, almost getting barbecued in the process." Claire replied.

The female cadet sitting next to Claire in the Twilight Dragon Academy lunchroom shuddered at the thought of several hundred Sergeant Gregor clones screaming orders at her from all directions. "Ouch…I think I just wet myself."

Claire tried to stop herself from giggling but failed and almost choked on the piece of hamburger she stuffed into her mouth. She coughed a few times before speaking. "Please refrain from embarrassing yourself while I'm eating because you know I'll laugh at almost anything."

The cadet stuck her tongue out at Claire. "At least I'm not dumb enough to hide Materia in my _panties_ of all places. You're gonna be mopping floors until graduation."

"Oh…shut up!" Claire demanded.

A violent rumbling shook the lunchroom knocking a few students out of their seats. Claire held onto the table she sat at only to hit the floor as it too fell over. She slowly stood to her feet after the shaking stopped then brushed her hair out of her eyes. "Not again…" She ran towards the lunchroom exit along with several other students. As the cadets emerged outside the lunchroom they all glanced around the academy trying to figure what happened. Their questioning thoughts were answered as half of the electrical field generated by the camouflage generator sparked and wavered over the academy. Above the field two war class airships appeared over the academy. The airships were painted red with large black stripes running through their adamantium born bodies. Both warships took on a long wingless rectangular form with round ends. Over forty plasma cannons were constructed into the left and right sides of the airships along with two fusion-powered engines. Another fusion engine was constructed into the back of the ships.

"How the hell did they find this place? I thought it was impossible!" A male cadet yelled.

"Forget how they found us…how the _hell_ did they manage to fly _two_ airships twenty miles into our country undetected!" Claire screamed.

Over forty Air and Terrain Lancers rained down from the black airships breaking apart the metal ground as they landed. Several Twilight Dragon cadets were shredded by thousands of titanium shards launched into the air from the impact of the Lancers. Claire dropped to the ground with a few other quick-thinking cadets then stared up at the Terrain Lancer in front of her. She began to rise slowly with the Lancer then froze keeping her eyes locked on the mech-sized handgun being pulled from its holster. Fear entered Claire's mind first as the black barrel of the red gun glided pass her. A wave of relief rushed over the cadet followed by a stabbing guilt as the Lancer vaporized its intended target, another group of fleeing cadets.

* * *

Outside: Summoning Anomaly Classroom

* * *

Roze Hoover casually stepped out of her classroom wondering what caused all of the commotion. Orange flames swirled around her red overcoat the moment she set foot onto the titanium sidewalk. A quick glance to the left brought an unconscious student into view. The summoning instructor stumbled back then watched the unfortunate woman hit the ground ten feet away from the classroom entrance. As her gaze rose from the now dead cadet, carnage and destruction exploded in front of Roze. Only a small amount of worry crept onto the instructor's face before her expression became stone cold. Roze turned in the direction of the fallen student just as a Terrain Class Lancer ripped open the ground a few feet from her class. The hundreds of metal shards shot through the air from beneath the Lancer's feet didn't dare interrupt Roze's stride. She held her purse up in front of her stomach with her left hand and let her right arm hang loosely as the sparkling titanium flew pass her. Her gaze slowly rose to the eyes of the Lancer pilot.

_Is this woman crazy?_ The Imperial Lancer pilot's lips formed a maniacal grin. A red metallic fist pointed down towards a middle-aged woman wearing a red suit. Two seconds later the fist clicked then lowered and an orange flame ignited from the Lancer's wrist.

"That's it! That's it! Just stand right there! I _love_ roasting Vandarians! Especially retarded Vandarians!" An insane laugh amplified by speakers screeched from the Lancer cockpit.

Roze's voice remained identical to her demeanor. "How…ironic…"

Titanium melting flames erupted from the Lancer's wrist then crashed into the ground sprouting around Ms Hoover. Confusion slowly crept onto the face of the woman standing behind the glass eyes of the Lancer. "What the fuck!"

Multicolored prisms of light formed a spherical barrier around the summoning instructor. Roze never removed her gaze from the Lancer pilot's eyes. Her purse fell to the ground as her arms stretched out to either side. The light prisms shattered out in all directions. Instead of consuming her, the orange flames encircled Roze until the blazing inferno raged behind her. _Firestorm._ The fire split in half then shot forward, smashing through the red Lancer's eyes.

Fear erupted inside the Lancer pilot. Confusion and anxiety froze her hands and legs to the cockpit controls. Seconds later deafening agonized screams shrieked from the Lancer's head. Although each and every Lancer produced by the Kazunian Empire is crafted with the strongest flame resistant metals known to man, an unseen force generated from Roze and the power of her Materia gave the flames unexplained power. The red camouflage design painted on the Lancer's head faded and the head itself, once hard adamantium steel, now oozed onto the armor's shoulders.

Roze gently stroked the green Materia inside the crystal bangle around her wrist before turning her back to the injured Lancer and its dead pilot. "So uncivilized."

* * *

Outside: Lunchroom

* * *

Crimson plasma bolts singed off a small lock of Claire's hair before she turned a corner around one of the damaged classrooms. Her back pressed against the wall and her lungs took in an exceptional amount of air in an attempt to sustain an overworked heart. Sweat fell from her forehead as she leaned forward trying to regain control of her breathing. A low but stern voice flowed into her ears. Claire almost didn't hear it over the attacking Lancers.

"Claire…"

The frightened cadet's gaze followed the voice and a woman covered by a dark red overcoat filled her vision. "Ms. Hoover?"

"Claire, come with me." The summoning instructor turned then walked into her classroom.

Claire hesitated for a moment then darted after Ms Hoover. Never in her life would Claire have preferred the inside of a classroom to the outside world. Today, however; the clean and silent discipline Ms Hoover's classroom always demanded felt comforting as opposed to the chaos outside. Still, she couldn't begin to understand why any of her teachers would want to stay inside a building that would most likely end up being destroyed.

"Um, what are we doing here Ms. Hoover?" Claire voiced her thoughts.

Roze faced Claire and her intense gaze almost startled the girl off of her feet. "I need you, Claire."

Claire's cheeks slowly colored red. "I…have a boyfriend…"

Confusion spread across Roze's face then she took a step back from Claire. "No! I mean I need your help. Come here."

Claire followed Roze over to the instructor's desk then waited for an answer to her question. Roze held her right hand out over a small section of the desk. _De-spell_. Four thin lines of light formed a rectangular image on top of the desk then vanished. Roze slid back the now unlatched section of the desk and pushed the bright yellow button hidden underneath it. Four sections of the steel floor flipped open revealing a rail, which the desk was attached to. The desk slid to the left and Roze raised her hand again, this time centering her palm over a square section of the floor. _De-spell. _Again, light prisms shined brightly inside the classroom. A dome barrier surrounding the floor shattered and each shard of light vanished one at a time. Claire gazed down at the floor. Slowly, the bright silver covering the square section faded into a grimy discolored brown.

Roze dug her fingers underneath the wooden hatch then opened it. "This way."

Claire almost fainted as a gust of musty air slammed into her face from underneath the hatch. She squeezed her nose shut with her fingers. "We're going down there…?"

A violent rumble that knocked most of the classroom chairs over answered her question. She quickly climbed down the wooden ladder attached to the floor, closing the hatch as she descended. Darkness surrounded the young _Techmage_ cadet. Not even Ms. Hoover's red clothes were visible inside in Claire's opinion appeared to be a cave.

"Ms. Hoover?" Claire's voice echoed off the walls.

"Over here, Claire." A loud click followed Roze's voice and a line of torches burst into flames on every wall throughout the cave.

Everywhere Claire turned, another tunnel came into her line of sight. "Ms. Hoover…what's going on?"

"Twilight Dragon Academy was built on top of a stone plateau. Most of the staff, however, doesn't know about these catacombs. This plateau extends down beneath Vandaria, even beneath the ocean. The right choice of tunnels could lead directly to the center of the earth."

Claire's voice was muffled as her fingers still pinched her nose. "I suppose that explains the smell."

Twenty minutes and twelve tunnels later, Claire's patience began to fade. "Ms. Hoover, this stench is really starting to freak me out!"

"Calm down child. We'll be there soon." Roze assured her.

"Where, exactly, is _there_?" Claire asked.

Roze's eyes sparkled as her gaze rested on a set of torches pinned to the left wall. "_Here_ is _there_ Ms. Reynolds."

After four clicks from two red high heels, Roze stopped in front of the torches and examined them closely. A small indistinct button stuck out on the bottom end of the right torch. A panel of stone slid open revealing a sparkling black marble slab. Claire stared curiously at several unrecognizable characters etched into the stone.

"What is that?" Claire wondered.

"Your diploma, Ms. Reynolds. Just don't frame it." Roze answered.

Roze walked into dust floating down from the cave roof. A subtle rumble under the instructor's feet brought her stare to the ceiling. Loud cracks and rocky explosions echoed throughout the cave. Claire kept turning, frantically searching for the cause of the plateau quake. A large portion of the plateau split underneath Roze's feet. The instructor took a step back just as an enormous explosion tore out the ceiling from above her.

Roze hesitated for a moment then faced Claire. "Listen you have to go on."

Claire made no attempt to hide her fear. "Go on, _where!_"

Roze forcibly placed the black slab into Claire's hands then rested her own hands on the cadet's shoulders. "That tunnel…" Roze lifted her right hand then aimed her finger down the third tunnel from the left of three other passages. "Go down it until the smooth ceiling grows spikes. There will be many different roads for you to take so make sure you turn left the moment the ceiling changes. Follow that tunnel for thirty meters then take another left, here the spikes will vanish. Finally, keep going straight until…"

Another explosion rocked the weak ground of the catacombs almost knocking both women off their feet. Roze let go of Claire turning towards the fallen academy. _Aero_. Again, the instructor's arms extended to the left and right. Emerald gusts of wind swirled underneath and around Roze lifting her body into the air. She took one last look back at Claire. "Go!" The summoning instructor launched high above the shattered catacomb ceiling.

Claire's eyes widened and remained open. "Wait! Where do I go after the last tunnel!" Her eyes glanced down at the slab. "And what the hell am I supposed to do with this!"

Claire received no answer from her instructor as Roze disappeared over the catacomb ceiling. Cries of fear and agony echoed through the stone tunnels from the academy grounds. Claire remained still, gazing up at the two Imperial Airships hovering over what was once her training center. It took the sight of three Lancers flying over the large hole in the ground to snap the cadet's common sense back into focus. She vanished under the cover of the catacombs trying her best to remember Ms. Hoover's directions.

* * *

Twilight Dragon Academy

* * *

Smoke seeped from the top of an enormous barrel, built into an enormous cannon, which sat propped onto the shoulder of a Kazunian T class Lancer. A blue flame generated by the armor's short burst jet propulsion engines burned out with a bright loud spark.

Roze's stare lowered as the red Lancer lowered. Her posture remained still and perfect even as the ground shattered under the immense weight of the armor and the force of its landing. Roze kept silent as a strong gust of wind blew back her overcoat nearly ripping the clothing from her body. The barrel of the cannon, larger than most of the classrooms that still stood centered in front of the summoning instructor.

"Lady, I don't know who you are but I'll be damned if you don't remind me of my tenth grade chemistry teacher." A cocky male voice echoed from the Lancer's speakers.

"Whether I remind you or not young man, you are indeed damned." Roze's right palm centered in front of the Lancer's mechanized face. _Lighting._

Thunder clapped far above Roze and the Imperial Lancer. Bright blue orbs of light rose from the ground around the instructor then flattened and vanished. Before the Lancer's cannon could recharge, three gigantic lighting bolts shot down from three corners of the sky. Two bolts hit the left and right sides of the Lancer's head while the third struck the center of the armor's skull sending a shockwave of deadly electricity throughout the metal monstrosity.

Blue waves of electricity traveled up and down the Lancer over the next twenty seconds. The unfortunate pilot's morbid grunts echoed from his armor's speakers. Unable to maintain its stance, the Lancer crashed onto the ground, taking several training facilities with it. Roze gazed up at the now ownerless cannon slowly falling towards her. The summoning instructor waved her arm above her head for a moment then let it hang loosely at her side. Three seconds before the cannon smashed into Roze, a sparkling light barrier blasted the death device back in the opposite direction. Roze turned on her heel then slowly walked away as the cannon slammed into the disabled Lancer. Smoke, metal shards, and waves of dust erupted behind the instructor.

"Impressive." An eerie voice seeped into the instructor's ears.

Roze's eyes widened and her body froze. "Th…that…that voice…!" Her body turned to face the cause of her shock. In front of her stood an Imperial Lancer. Unlike its mass-produced brethren this armor took advantage of a light beige color scheme with brown traditional Kazunian camouflage stripes. Stylish samurai armor plates wrapped around the Lancer's waist. A long bendable sheath with a stylized hilt sticking out of it latched onto the plates. Although the mech harbored a standard issue short burst jet propulsion pack, no other features that represent a T Lancer covered the armor.

The Lancer lifted its right hand into the air aiming its hand at Roze. Four fingertips slid open revealing four beam cannon barrels. Each black hole slowly began to retain a crimson glow. All four laser bolts were deflected into several different buildings by Roze's light barrier. A bone chilling silence endured for over forty seconds between the summoning instructor and the Imperial Lancer.

"…Something stronger…perhaps." The pilot of the armor broke the silence.

After many loud clanks echoed from inside the mech, four tips of four L-HR12 (Lancer-Hand Rocket 12th Series) hand rockets appeared out of the Lancer's fingers. Before the missiles could launch, however, an enormous firestorm raged from behind Roze then shot forward, surrounding the Lancer's head. Instead of smashing through this armor's eyes, the flames grew larger and spread around the Lancer's entire body hiding it from the rest of the world. Four explosions echoed from behind the flames adding to the raging inferno. Moments later the flames cleared and the Lancer stood undamaged.

Fear combined with disbelief forced a backward step from Roze. "Armor…stronger than…adamantium…ok then…" Roze lifted her right hand in front of her face. She positioned her thumb inward over her palm and bent her pinky and the finger next to it. After she closed her eyes, her hand began to tremble. "Stone…Aloe…your muscles…your skin…your limitless might born from the earth…" A circle of emerald colored energy spiked around Roze pushing her coat back into the wind. One of the Materia slots built into her crystal bangle shinned a bright crimson from underneath the protective covering. A bright green light peeked out from beneath the steel ground in front of the instructor. The light shot out to the left and right forming a thirty-foot wide circle. An unrecognizable character formed in the middle of the circle. "…Hear my _call_…come forth!" Roze threw her right hand to the side as the green energy surrounding her dispersed in different directions and the green light in front of her shined high into the air. "_Titan_!"

A violent earthquake shook the entire plateau briefly halting the Imperial slaughter of the _Techmage_ cadets. The ground beneath the green symbol cracked then shattered. Several massive boulders launched into the air then smashed hard into the ground. Slowly the dust and light faded and an extremely well built gargantuan sized man wearing only a green loincloth stared down the Lancer in front of him. The man's face harbored three eyes, two under tree leaf born eyebrows and the third staring out above a nose with three nostrils. The presence of this astonishing creature only interrupted the battle raging around it. Although he harbored a mouth the Titan never spoke a single word as his hands tore into the ground below pulling up a massive chunk of the plateau. Swirls of emerald energy flowed from the Titan's massive arms into the large hunk of stone and steel.

The Imperial Lancer stood silent with both hands resting on the hilt of its Katana. "It is not enough, woman."

A deafening roar erupted from the Titan as he launched the energized hunk of earth and steel towards the Lancer. Three seconds passed and the Lancer remained still and silent. Another three seconds and the boulder was now within twenty feet of the mech. In two swift motions the Lancer drew its Katana with a bright spark and its sharp blade glided upwards through the air then shot down with great speed.

Roze blinked and in an instant the Lancer that once stood at least two classroom lengths away from the Titan now towered over her ten feet behind the summoning entity, slowly sheathing its Katana. "Im…impossible…it's just not…possible…!" Her words hung in the air until they were silenced by the sound of supernatural flesh ripping apart.

Massive amounts of energy stored within the Titan's body began to shoot out in all directions. A body splitting line drew itself down the anomaly's shocked and angered face. Slowly, the one Titan became two smaller halves. Emerald energy spiked and swirled from inside each half of the Titan until its split body hit the ground, shattering into thousands of pieces then vanishing from Earth's dimension.

Roze couldn't move. Her shock had overtaken her senses and her fear had destroyed any chance of them returning. Again, the Lancer's fingers shined crimson as plasma bolts generated inside them. Two seconds before they reduced Roze to a blood splatter on the ground an enormous blue beam of light half the size of the Lancer's foot smashed into the mech's right side. This blast did not damage the armor but instead knocked it off balance into a nearby training facility.

A familiar voice pulled Roze back to reality. "Ms. Hoover!" Benson stood beside Sergeant Gregor in front of an ATR waving his arms so Roze would notice him. "Hurry! This way!"

Gregor slowly lowered a smoking bazooka from his shoulder. "Let's go!"

"…Unbelievable." Roze ran towards the ATR.

* * *

Twilight Dragon Academy Plateau: The Catacombs

* * *

No violent earthquakes or loud echoes from weapons fire reached Claire deep within the plateau catacombs. She walked at a fast pace down the dimly lit tunnel Roze pointed out to her. Every few seconds her gaze scanned the ceiling until finally a long sharp spike filled her vision. Just as Roze had said, a tunnel revealed itself to Claire's immediate left. The cadet kept her stare on the ceiling. Each section of stone appeared flat until Claire stepped directly underneath and then several different sized spikes grew out of the rock surface.

"Ok now that's just wrong." Claire concluded.

_Thirty meters…or was it forty? No! It was thirty._ A light mist began to form throughout the tunnel. Claire couldn't stand tasting the noxious odor by breathing through her mouth. Smelling the fumes was just as unbearable so she covered her mouth and nostrils with her hand. Five minutes later Claire stopped in front of another tunnel that she hoped harbored the correct path. A low growl flowed into the cadet's ears after she took one step forward. Her gaze rose to the ceiling and the stone spikes vanished two seconds after filling her vision. Slowly, her stare turned until her eyes centered on a tunnel directly behind her. Far down the black nothingness that filled the tunnel two yellow lights flashed on. A white mist seeped out of the darkness under the lights.

Another growl from the bodiless figure forced Claire into a frenzied dash down the tunnel behind her. A few seconds that seemed like a few minutes to the adrenaline charged cadet passed and her head turned spotting the yellow lights closer now than when she was standing still. Claire's speed increased until shock exploded painfully inside her chest. A stone wall blocked off the tunnel and no other pathways presented themselves to the unfortunate cadet.

"Oh shit…holy shit…SHIT!" Claire held her pain filled chest tightly with her right hand.

Claire quickly turned to face the lights, which upon closer inspection harbored black pupils. As her breathing slowed, the cadet began to feel short tremors beneath her feet. Another growl flowed from the beast while a set of white pearly teeth shined under the torches. Slowly, a lizard face as black as the darkness around it hovered in front of one of the torches. Another ground shaking step brought most of the creature's armored ebony body into view. Two massive wings stretched out to either side of the tunnel revealing the purplish skin on the bottom of each limb. The beast's chin, neck, chest, and stomach were also purple. Its long tail swung around to the left then slid along the floor of the tunnel.

Claire could not remove her stare from the animal's eyes even as her legs began to back away from the beast. "Oh…my…" Fear froze Claire's sense of touch and she didn't notice the movement in her legs. She was also unaware of the stone floor vanishing from underneath her left foot. "Gooooooaaaaaahhhhhhh!"

Time had no meaning to Claire as her body fell through the catacombs. When her back hit solid rock death entered her mind first, then shock as her body began to slide down the stone wall. Two and a half minutes passed before Claire finally came to a halt on flat solid ground. The realization that her eyes had been closed came when she opened them and curiosity slowly began to overtake her fear. In front of her, a wide metal door dimly shone through the darkness. A small keypad clung to the tall metal plating beside the door. Confusion swirled in Claire's mind as she stared at the keypad. _Now what do I do? Wait maybe…_ She entered a standard shock trooper hangar door code. _She wouldn't send me down here just to get stuck at a door right…?_ Five hour long seconds passed before a green light flashed on above the door. A line of drew itself between the metal door as it split open, revealing nothing but pitch-black darkness.

Claire took five steps into the dark new area then stood still and silent. Another agonizing five seconds flew by before the sound of electricity forced on a bright white light. Several other lights flashed on illuminating the area. Claire slowly turned around taking in the entire facility she had just walked into. An enormous hangar surrounded the cadet. A massive square shaped metal grated platform hovered above a black void. Four rectangular platforms extended out from the square floor into the stone walls. A small shuttle collected dust on the center of the square platform. Relief managed to tear its way out through the fear and confusion surrounding Claire's heart and she held in half a giggle after the craft's keypad accepted her code. The door slid open with a mechanized hum then shut behind the cadet.

Claire's fingers glided over the control panel of the shuttle. "Sheesh, I know early graduations can be a little awkward or surprising but damn…"

The only exit that presented itself was an exceptionally large tunnel conveniently positioned in front of the shuttle. Two minutes passed and a low hum from the shuttle's engines echoed inside the hangar. The craft launched forward through the tunnel then came to an abrupt halt thirty feet down the pathway, almost crashing into a dead end. Two seconds after reaching the end of the tunnel a metal hatch above the shuttle covered with a thin stone camouflage split open revealing a bright blue cloudy sky. The hatch closed as the shuttle cleared its borders and the shuttle itself elevated high into the air just below the peaks of the mountains surrounding the plateau. Claire let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding before launching the shuttle forward.


	4. Deep Blue Rescue

**Chapter Three**

**DEEP BLUE RESCUE  
**

Magic had an important role throughout Earth's many societies. Materia was a godsend to the people although scientists replaced any and all entities of the divine. Simple healing spells replaced bandages and disinfectants. An accomplished wielder of Materia could cure any disease with the right spell. Realizing the potential maelstrom of chaos that could easily envelop the planet, governments with exceptional access to Materia outlawed free use of the more dangerous spells. This law was not difficult to enforce since most people lacked the technological equipment to recover the unstable ore. Fewer still were people outside the government who possessed the knowledge and or technology to process the raw ore into safe usable orbs.

As one would expect, however, overtime certain individuals have gained access to powerful spells. Soon more and more traumatic incidents began to spread from country to country. To counter this instability, several governments outlawed the use of Materia containing elemental attack spells. Government officials found that detaining anyone with power over the elements was more than a difficult challenge. Hundreds of local peacekeepers met their end by the hand of just one outlawed Materia user. Thousands of military units across the globe were devastated beyond recovery.

To combat the new more powerful generation of thieves and murderers, desperate politicians quickly passed an order to create a new branch of the military. Hundreds of soldiers were drafted from the Air Force, Navy, Rangers, and Special Forces. Every branch contributed its best and brightest. The first country to successfully train and dispatch the first of these new soldiers was Japan. Powerful though the soldiers were, with almost all of Japan's military might depleted, assistance from other nations was reluctantly accepted. America, Britain, and Vandaria had few armed forces remaining as well, however; their combined strength was enough to help Japan's elemental soldiers, later named _Techmages_, defeat the ever-growing crime wave spread throughout the globe.

Vandaria's _Techmage_ training facility was built several years after each government reclaimed world stability. Representatives from Japan were sent to the newly formed facility to jump-start the training process. Remembering the mistakes of the past, Vandarians kept the newly christened Twilight Dragon Academy hidden from the rest of the world. Windowless shuttles transported foreign ambassadors to and from the academy. Not even normal Vandarian citizens knew of its location.

Once trained, a _Techmage_ rejoined the military but not their original unit. Instead, ninety percent of their missions over a set period of time were usually carried out alone. Although becoming a _Techmage_ did not raise a soldier's original rank, special freedoms were given to the elemental agents such as the authority over any situation involving combat against an elemental criminal or another _Techmage_.

Deep within Mandrake City, magic capital of Vandaria, a _Techmage_ facility shined brightly amongst its skyscraping brethren. A dark murky blue wrapped in black and white stripes covered the skyscraper. This technological wonder, equipped with the latest structure defense weapons and systems was Vandaria's _Techmage_ Headquarters. Although the training facility stayed hidden from the world, _Techmage_ HQ was one of the most powerful forces on the planet.

Loud clicks echoed from the bottoms of two white high heels covered by a long white robe. Two golden pieces of cotton fabric that extended halfway down the robe were stitched into the left and right sides of the white cloth. Short red hair rested on top of a female head. Behind her a large plasma screen constructed into the wall flashed on, displaying a sharp image of _Marotherma_ Labs. One enormous dome facility surrounded by twenty slightly smaller dome facilities surrounded by hundreds of smaller dome facilities pulsed with activity on the ocean floor.

"It's under their control now ladies and gentlemen." The woman stated as she slowly rested her hands at the small of her back. "Yen opened the door and now the Kazunians are stealing our _Leviathan_ Materia deposits."

"Actually, Linda, if you think about it…they weren't really _ours_ to begin with." A voice flowed from a man with green hair wearing a brown overcoat into thirteen different sets of ears.

Linda scoffed at the remark. "We found the cavern so its contents are _ours_."

Serge shrugged. "Whatever you say."

"Pardon me but, do you not zink zat twelve _Techmagez_ ziz zee overkill, no?" A woman with long purple hair and brown eyes asked.

Linda let the question hang in the air for a moment. "I realize a full squadron of _Techmages_ hasn't been required for any situation for the last fifty years." She faced the screen. "However, I'm sure you all realize that if the imperials have even one of their own _Techmages_ down there then it is almost certain that they now have control over _Leviathan_."

"If we did manage to process any of the red stuff then it would have been locked in storage, which if I remember can't be opened even with the more powerful attack spells." Sena pointed out.

"Not to mention our equipment can't be operated without special access codes." Serge added.

"They could have brought in their own equipment and forced the access codes out of one of the researchers." A man seated behind Sena pointed out.

Linda nodded. "Yes…if the Kazunians have _Leviathan_…" Her strict expression faced the group of _Techmages_. "They could wipe you all out along with _Marotherma_ with just one attack."

The dark briefing room fell silent for a handful of seconds then Linda continued. "Just remember, if they are holding hostages, their safety takes the highest priority."

"I think command would disagree with you on that one." A woman added.

Linda's lips formed a smirk as her blue eyes centered on the woman's green eyes. "Too bad for them…they have no say in this."

* * *

Cel Solaria: Southeast Quadrant

* * *

Serge slowly walked down the halls of the _Techmage_ HQ. His hand gently ran down one of the blue walls as his gaze rose from the floor to the ceiling. "It's been a long time, Cel Solaria"

"If you miss it so much you shouldn't have left." Sena's voice echoed from behind Serge.

Serge only smirked and continued to reminisce in his past life. "Too many spells."

Sena stepped up beside Serge and her eyes followed his hand along the wall. "Why did you leave anyway?"

"It's not as complicated as you might think. Just a _what__'__s the point_ complex." Serge answered.

"So you got tired of following orders?"

"I don't have a big problem with following orders if they're worth following."

Sena's arms folded at the end of Serge's last sentence. "Most soldiers know that they'll never _really_ _know_ what the hell's going on."

"I know, Rillian, but most soldiers use the excitement of the job to drown out the pointlessness of it. For me…the excitement backfired. I guess I just got tired of all the spells."

Confusion and curiosity swirled through Sena's mind. "Too many spells…"

"Zere you are!" A soft female voice called out. Sweat dripped from underneath long bouncing purple hair in between two brown eyes onto the tips of two flared nostrils. "I finally found you."

"Found who?" Sena wondered.

Two plastic rectangular pads followed the tired woman's answer. "Meeztrezz Linda zought it vwould be zee good ztrategy to also ztudy alliez inztead of juzt enemiez."

Serge gazed down at the pad given to him. A small square shaped screen blipped on at the press of a button. "Is this…?"

"An N.M.?" Sena finished her friend's question.

"Yez." The _Techmage_ answered.

Serge thought for a moment then smirked as familiar faces lined up across the small screen. "I get it. Our personal stat profiles are classified information, even to our immediate commanders."

Several answers to many questions flowed into Sena's mind. "Right…they don't want enemies knowing who can do what so they keep it a secret."

"Eczactly." The purple haired woman confirmed. "We aren't allowed to record our own ztatuz. However, enemy zcoutz who have obzerved uz in combat have taken accurate notez of our abilitiez."

"Yeah I heard about those guys, what were they called again…spell recorders?" Sena wondered.

Serge chuckled as he nodded. "Linda figured since we can't write everything down, why not let the enemy do it for us?" His face formed a slight frown. "The info on me is a little outdated though."

Sena slapped Serge's left shoulder. "Well what do you expect? You haven't had an official or _unofficial_ assignment for the last three years."

Serge sighed with a smile on his face as he accessed the status information on one of his squad members. A young woman with long purple hair, brown eyes, and a playful smile stood casually on the small screen. A short list of information quickly typed itself onto the right side of the screen beside her. A small multicolored pie chart formed above the white lettered words.

**Name: **Cynthia Bevelle

**Gender: **Female

**Birth:** 5-17-3886

**Techmage Rank: **3rd Class

**Standard Role: **Attack

**Flame Affinity: **10%

**Lighting Affinity: **5%

**Ice Affinity: **85%

**Earth Affinity: **32%

**Offensive Weapon: **Chakra

**Defensive Weapon:** None

**Accessory: **Gold Armlet

**Materia: **Fire Level: 2 Lightning Level: 1 Ice Level: Max Earth Level: 3 Time Level: Max Restore Level: Max Heal Level: Max

**Summon Materia:** Shiva Level: 3

Serge gazed up at Cynthia who was smiling at him. "An attacker, huh? You don't strike me as the violent type."

"Only vwhen I'm provoked." Cynthia giggled then walked away from Serge and Sena.

Sena positioned herself closer to Serge then tapped a few buttons underneath the screen on his data card. "Nifty little gadget these net monitors are."

Both _Techmages_ stared down at the status information of their fellow squad members as well as their own.

**Name: **Matthew Serge

**Gender: **Male

**Birth: **3884

**Techmage Rank: **1st Class

**Standard Role: **Attack

**Flame Affinity: **20%

**Lightning Affinity: **40%

**Ice Affinity: **100%

**Earth Affinity: **12%

**Offensive Weapon: **Double Edge Katana 12 Gauge Shotgun

**Defensive Weapon: **Arm Shield

**Accessory: **2 Crystal Bangles

**Materia: **Fire Level: Max Lightning Level: Max Ice Level: Max Earth Level 1 Double Cut: Max All Level: Max Barrier Level: Max Restore Level: Max

**Summon Materia:** Shiva Level: Max

* * *

**Name:** Rillian Sena

**Gender: **Female

**Birth: **3889

**Techmage Rank: **2nd Class

**Standard Role: **Attack

**Flame Affinity: **5%

**Lightning Affinity: **90%

**Ice Affinity: **35%

**Earth Affinity: **72%

**Offensive Weapon: **2 Curved Double Edged Daggers

**Defensive Weapon:** None

**Accessory: **Aurora Armlet

**Materia: **Lightning Level: Max Ice Level: 2 Earth Level: Max Mystify Level: Max Slash All Level: 1 All Level: Max

**Summon Materia: **Ramuh Level: Max Titan Level: 4

"Hmm…when the hell did they get all this info on me?" Sena wondered.

"That sense Materia can be a bitch." Serge stated.

"I just hope these guys know who has top claim to Ramuh on this mission." Sena's arms folded as she finished her sentence.

Loud laughter erupted from Serge as a male _Techmage_ flashed onto his data card screen. "That would be…Mark Render. One hundred percent affinity to lightning."

"What!" Sena smashed the buttons of her net monitor until Mark's image materialized onto the screen. Even though it was only a digitized photo, Sena felt as if Mark's cocky grin was directed personally at her. "That bastard…"

"Do you even know this guy?" Serge asked.

"I will soon." Sena replied.

* * *

Cel Solaria: Engineering Bay

* * *

"Let's go pick it up!" A deep unnerving female voice boomed over the unnatural ambience generated by hundreds of mechanics operating thousands of complex machines. "_Pick it up_!"

"Eh! I'm workin' as fast as I can over here!" An annoyed male voice shot back.

"We all are!" Another male voice, this one more groggy than annoyed added.

One man, covered in a long coat as black as a starless night stood still in the center of Cel Solaria's most highly respected maintenance bay. His coat fluttered as his arms rose and his black glove covered hands cupped around a silver square shaped lighter. A small flame burned the end of the cigarette trapped between the man's lips then vanished with a flick of his wrist. Before his arms returned to his side a large gust of steam and wind from one of the deep sea venturing vehicles blew back the man's coat revealing his equally darkened boots, pants, and T-shirt.

After exhaling the poisonous smoke once trapped in his lungs, the man glanced up at the submarine and the tech crew prepping the vehicle for launch. "You really don't like smokers do ya, Cid?"

Long hair extended down just below two bulging muscular shoulders. If it were not for the length of the woman's hair it would be almost impossible to recognize the blonde strands peeking out from beneath the oil, dirt, and grime that covered her. The same substances also covered most of the woman's face leaving her green eyes as the only trace of color underneath her oily bangs of hair.

The left half of the woman's mouth gave the dark figure below her a toothy grin while the other half clamped down on a large smoking cigar. Her oily hair rolled off her somewhat less grimy shoulders as she stood about six feet in height and pulled the cigar from her mouth. "Not if they're gonna smoke a lil' pussy stick like that I don't."

The dark clothed man chuckled as he pulled his own bad habit from his mouth. "Hey, watch the language" he motioned his right hand around the room "there are ladies worken around here too."

Cid let out a chuckle of her own. "Sorry, _Miss_ Render, I didn't know you could be so easily offended."

Mark Render glanced over the submarine. Two half diamond shaped fins were on either side of the craft each equipped with its own mini chain gun on its tip and enclosed torpedo launchers near the back of the underwater wings. Between the fins, a three dimensional triangular shaped cockpit steamed every few minutes as its systems and components were fine-tuned for future use. Two mechanics worked tirelessly on top of and below each fin and in the center of them, Cid stood tall, her hands clenched into fist resting on her hips. Two dark brown gloves with an opening almost twice the size of the woman's forearms covered her hands. Oil and grime had long since darkened her once light blue overalls and the blackened pink scarf wrapped around her neck. Mark always wondered if he would still be able to distinguish Cid's gender if her breasts weren't as large as her exceptionally large muscles. Other than the two large lumps of skin pushing against her overalls, the pink scarf she wore was the only feminine asset the senior mechanic ever flaunted.

"You know…" Mark let out another small cloud of smoke "what's with you and that thing anyway?" He fingered the filthy article of clothing around the mechanic's neck.

Cid glanced down at the scarf while exhaling a large gust of smoke then without removing the cigar from her mouth, let her gaze return to the man standing below her. "What?" Her head tilted slightly to the left. "A gal can't accessorize?"

Smoke filled the air as Mark and Cid both laughed.

"Ramuh is mine!" A furious authority filled voice echoed just above the loud activity of the maintenance bay.

Startled by the sheer hostility carried by a female voice other than Cid's, Mark flinched, almost choking on his cigarette smoke as he faced the origin of the shout. Two purple eyes focused an intense gaze through Mark's bewildered gaze. "Uh, lady can I help you with something?" Mark asked as politely as his upbringing would allow.

Rillian Sena put her best intimidating stance to use and folded her arms as Serge finally caught up to her gasping for air. "You're Mark Render?" The sentence was more of an accusation than a question.

"And you are?" This not being the first time an attractive woman had emptied her frustrations onto him, Mark had little trouble keeping his composure.

"I'll tell you who I am God damnit I'm the _Techmage_ who's gonna have first claim to Ramuh on this mission!" Sena shouted.

Mark glanced up at Cid, who had instinctively sensed that the angry female would single out Mark and was pretending to be distracted by her work, which Mark new she could do blindfolded. "Ok…" His stare returned to Sena "and the reason I would have a problem with that would be…?"

Sena frowned at the question. "You think I don't know about your one-hundred percent affinity to lightning?"

Mark's lips formed a sly smirk as the logic of the situation finally settled over his brain. "Oh is that what all this is about? Look girly, I don't care about the old man or any other anomaly." He clenched the cigarette between his teeth as he smiled. "As the clothes would imply, black magic is my forte. Never could get used to the drain summoning puts on you." Relief failed to settle over the _Black Mage,_ as Sena's anger seemed to increase. "Now what?"

Sena lowered her stare to the ground while turning her head in Serge's direction. "Did he just call me girly?"

Serge nodded as he took a step back then stared up at Mark with a hint of pity behind his eyes. "I think so."

"Did he just call me _girly_?" Sena repeated.

"Yeah he just called you girly." Serge confirmed.

Sena's stare transformed into a murderous glare as Mark returned to her line of sight. Lighting sparked from behind her eyes as she spoke. "Did _you_ just call _me_…_girly_!"

Unconsciously, Mark's mouth dropped open and his cigarette fell to the steel floor. "You know, I just met you…and the fact that you're hot just takes all the surprise out of this whole situation. Pretty women just don't like me."

Mark heard Cid's laughter over Sena's infuriated growl. "Hey lover boy, _I_ don't like you either!"

Three seconds later a lightning lit fist smashed into Mark's face knocking him unconscious.

* * *

Marotherma Labs: Processing Chamber

* * *

Deep beneath the ocean, well within Vandaria's borderline, Kazunian born attack vessels patrolled the dome-roofed labs resting on the ocean floor. Their design didn't differ too much from that of Vandaria's submarines but instead of sleek blue steel plating, a rough crimson design laced with waves of purple decorated the armor of these vehicles. Twelve large submarines lined the sandy ocean floor. These vessels took on a wider cylinder shape to compensate for the massive cargo they carried.

Inside the center dome, which stood three times higher and four times wider than the other labs, thirty Kazunian soldiers secured the high-tech facility and the fifty scientists that once operated the machines.

"Overconfidence…my superiors thought this mission would be over three days ago. We knew this cluster of labs lay beneath _Tanka_ outpost." A male voice flowed over the deadly silence generated from the current situation. "Send down a few scout _Shredders_, find its location, and take the _Leviathan_ Materia." He let a small chuckle escape his chest then scoffed at his mission briefing. "You brainy bastards…this place isn't even cloaked and it still took us two days just to find it." The blue boot on his right foot slammed into one of the many defeated security robots scattered around the floor. "Another two days to secure all of these labs…" His dark caramel eyes centered on the group of scientists. "And now here we are, on the second day of interrogating…" The blue leather jacket covering the blue shirt underneath cringed as he ran his left hand through his long black hair.

Above the Kazunians inside one of the hundreds of ventilation shafts networked throughout _Marotherma_, a small girl gazed out at the imperial controlled situation. "Why? How?" She whispered to herself. The tiny glasses covering her eyes slid down then stopped on the tip of her small nose and would have fallen through the vent had it not been for her short fingers positioning the spectacles back over her face. Thousands of questions ran through the girl's mind as to why a battalion of Kazunians had taken over _Marotherma_, how they found the laboratory, and how she could help the prisoners trembling on the steel floors beneath her. She winced at the sound of a clenched fist connecting with a scientist's face. Shock exploded inside of her as the interrogator grabbed a young woman by the hair, pulling her to the front of the group of hostages. _Mom!_ It took every ounce of the girl's self-control to suppress the shouting her body demanded to release its emotions. Somehow, she managed to quell her screams, reducing them to a quiet whimper.

Sky blue pants with a dark blue camouflage design filled the young scientist's vision. On each side of the pants a silver device rested latched onto a black belt. The scientist couldn't identify either weapon as a Chakra or handgun.

With a flick of the wrist, the interrogator snapped the woman's head back, forcing her terrified eyes to be filled with his intimidating glare. "The code…"

Fear forced a gulp out of the scientist. "I don't…I don't know the code."

"Dr. Sanz…" The battalion commander pulled a small data card from his pocket and positioned it in front of the woman's face. "I know exactly who you are _and_ what you do down here. No beast or Materia sample leaves these laboratories without your permission or the permission of your late colleague, Dr. Razenof."

For a few moments, Dr. Sanz's vision was filled with her memory of _Marotherma's_ head scientist being frozen to death by a spell cast from the interrogator standing in front of her. "Monster…"

"Yes you would recognize one wouldn't you." The _Techmage_ retorted.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sanz tried her best to stall her captors hoping some form of help would arrive.

Keeping a firm grip on the woman's hair, the Kazunian _Techmage_ turned to the side and held the view of bio containment tanks up with his free hand. "Your Materia research mutates Earth's creatures into unnatural monstrosities. Instead of letting them be, you pluck them from their homes, dissect and experiment with them, then murder them once you've finished gathering your _precious_ data."

"We may murder animals but we at least have respect for human life!" Sanz shot back. She tried her best to sound as honest as she was intense but it was hard for her to believe her own words.

The _Techmage's_ laughter signified his disbelief of Sanz's claim. "Your stalling attempt is admirable…but I've had enough of this place."

A bright green glow emitted from the device attached to the right side of the _Techmage's_ belt. His hand sunk deep into the weapon and wrapped around its handle. The commander aimed the barrel of the weapon at one of the many vents located on the roof of the facility._ Ice_. A bluish mist swirled around the entire device then shot forward in a long line and did not disperse until it hit the vent. After several seconds of cringing and crackling, the roof gave way and shattered under the weight of the eavesdropper above the scientists and soldiers.

"Ahh!" The girl yelped as the shaft broke away beneath her.

Although several shards of icy steel sparkled above her, the only thing Dr. Sanz saw was the small girl, nearly eighty feet in the air, falling towards the floor. "Clara!"

The line of mist still generated from the _Techmage's_ weapon. He skillfully directed the spell behind and below the girl then pulled his arm back. An ice slide formed beneath the girl and she slid safely to the ground, coming to a halt at the commander's feet. The _Techmage_ released Dr. Sanz and a cynical smile crept onto his face as he watched the defeated woman crush her daughter against her chest with a warm embrace.

"I think you know where things go from here, Dr. Sanz." The commander said coldly.

None of the employees working at _Marotherma_ were willing to risk their lives to protect their research. Dr. Sanz was no different, and now she knew that the Kazunian in front of her would threaten the life of her daughter if pushed too far. "Power within the mind." She finally revealed. "Put a 3 in between the first two letters…then a four and then a five…repeat until the last two letters." Her gaze lowered to the floor. "Place a star there."

The _Techmage_ turned to the senior officer inside the laboratory. "Do it."

The design of _Marotherma's_ main laboratory was similar to that of _Tanka_ outpost, however, instead of having hundreds of tanks lining the back walls, a massive ore processing machine shot steam from its left and right sides. Two rectangular pillars built into the floor stretched twelve feet forward, extending from a thirty by thirty-two-foot square body. As the Kazunian officer typed in Dr. Sanz's code, steam shot from either side of the ore processor and the device split in half, the top half rising forty-three feet into the air.

A satisfied grin spread across the _Techmage's_ lips as the steam swirled around his legs. "Thank you, doctor."

Dr. Sanz glared up at her captor with murderous intent flashing behind her eyes. "Who…who are you?"

Before he answered, the _Techmage_ gave a quick hand signal to one of the many imperial squads spread throughout the laboratory. "Why Dr. Sanz, do you posses latent psychic abilities? I was just about to introduce myself." His overconfident smirk met every Vandarian inside the laboratory. "My name is, Koren Danton…however on the battlefield, I am known as…_Chaos Blue_."

The name rang in Dr. Sanz's mind while pure terror destroyed every emotion inside of her. "C…_Chaos Blue_."

Clara gazed up at her mother and the woman's stare filled her with an unsettling confusion. "Mom…?"

Clara's voice brought Dr. Sanz's mind back to _Marotherma_ and her eyes centered on Koren's eyes. "Please…not her. Please let my daughter go…she's only seven years old! She's no threat to you or the Empire!"

"I have no doubt in my mind concerning that…however, I am one of the few adults remaining in this world who do not judge a person's ability based solely on their age."

Koren's heartless demeanor infuriated Dr. Sanz and the once timid woman of science became a raving beast with one purpose, the death of _Chaos Blue_. Her sensual voice produced a ferocious growl and her once human presence shifted to that of a wild cat driven insane by the instinctual need to protect the life of her young. Koren took two graceful steps back skillfully avoiding Dr. Sanz's blind teary-eyed attacks. The uniquely designed weapon attached to his arm rose in front of the scientist. The Chakram inserted above the chamber of the device spun rapidly as a bright blue glow engulfed it. Two seconds later the steel cutting circular blade launched from the weapon.

As quickly as Dr. Sanz's enraged attack began, the Chakram silenced her screams and stopped her movements. The bladed circle whirled through the air prompting many of the Vandarians and Kazunians to lower their heads then returned to Koren and the _Techmage_ caught his weapon with his weapon. Three seconds of silence hovered over the lab before the polyester coat arm unthreaded and fell to the floor. Dr. Sanz only stared out blankly at the massive double door entrance to the center lab dome. Clara's gaze was redirected to her mother's arm as the lab coat fragment hit the floor. The small girl's eyes reflected the scientist's skin neatly ripping apart above the elbow just below the shoulder. A crimson liquid squirted onto Clara's face before gushing out onto the metal floor covering the reflection of her horrified expression.

Dr. Sanz felt nothing at first, continuing to stare at the lab entrance. The scientist's green pupils shrank into tiny insignificant dots and her one remaining arm grasped what was left of her severed arm. Overwhelmed with shock and agony the defeated woman let out three shrieking cries of torment before fainting, splashing in a large puddle of her own blood.

"Mom!" Clara's voice was distorted with pain and fear.

The imperials returned to Koren with one red Materia orb neatly inserted into an adamantium case with a cushioned filling. The _Techmage_ lifted the orb from the case and slowly held it up to his eyes. A confident chuckle escaped him as he peered inside the shining Materia. Two long blue whiskers wavered in front of a long pointed snout. _Leviathan's_ intimidating gaze shot through the red barrier of the Materia and its snake like body slithered by Koren's line of sight. His hand grasped around the Materia as his lips formed an overconfident smirk.

"Now…" Koren turned to a unique squad of Kazunians stationed inside the lab equipped with long iron rods with crystal tips. "Bring them."

The squad commander nodded to Koren then turned to his unit. "Release the mutations into the main lab!"

"Good Vandarians of _Marotherma_…the time has come for us to part ways."

* * *

Ocean Floor

* * *

A dim underwater world pulsed with amphibious activity. Thousands of Earth's seafaring creatures sparkled under the weak light that managed to reach the ocean floor. An enormous school of small fish split in two at the sight of a much larger creature. This beast harbored two short bulging claws on either side of the front end of its body. The back end of the beast harbored two half-diamond fins that cut the water as the creature glided through the ocean.

"Look at it…hey…hey, hey! They're leaving they're getting ready to leave!" A human voice shouted.

"No! Shit they must already have_ Leviathan_!" A female voice panicked.

"We don't know that for sure, Rillian." Serge commented.

"Why else would they leave?" Sena wondered.

"Maybe zey vwere zee bored?" Cynthia suggested.

"Commander Devron, I don't think we're gonna have enough time to covert our entry." Sena Stated.

"No…_really?_ Ok stealth just got knocked out of the Materia slot people. We got two priorities, rescue any survivors and take back the _Leviathan_." Devron ordered.

"Yeah…how…how exactly are we supposed to get the hostages out?" One of the _Techmages_ wondered.

"Hey genius, there are over twelve subs down there, take your pick!" Mark pointed out.

Devron smirked as the eleven _Techmages_ Linda put under his command positioned their _Switchblades_ in a standard attack formation behind his own _Switchblade_ submarine. "This is a one way trip for the _Switchblades_. No time to finesse this one. Bust through and spread out!" A small whirlpool of water erupted behind ten of the _Switchblades_ approaching _Marotherma_.

Serge gazed out at the bright technological wonder known as _Marotherma_ Labs. "I forgot how intense this can get…"

"Matt…we haven't even started the mission yet." Sena commented.

"Hey, Rillian." Serge's voice lost it's usual carefree tone.

"What is it, Matt?" Rillian let her voice flow softly without holding back her feminine nature.

"Be careful…" Serge's _Switchblade_ blasted forward joining the rest of the _Techmage_ squadron.

Sena gazed out at Serge's _Switchblade_ for a handful of moments then activated her vehicle's own jet propulsion system.

* * *

Marotherma Labs: Processing Chamber

* * *

"Wake up…mom wake up!" Clara pleaded.

"Why did she tell them you're only seven?" One of the male scientists asked.

"Because she thought they might show mercy to a helpless child." Clara thought back to how many times her small size aided her in hiding her true age of fourteen. A gurgled moan from Dr. Sanz brought her mind back to the current situation. "Mom! We have to get out of here!"

"Dr. Sanz's eyes slowly peeled back and her pupils rolled down and refocused themselves to the bright lights of the laboratory. "Wha…what?" Blood and pain shocked the scientist's mind for a few moments before her slightly blurred vision centered on her once decapitated arm, which was now reattached and fully healed. Her gaze rose to her daughter. "How?"

Clara held up her wrist and shook the small silver bracelet clasped around it. "Simple cure spell." She smiled then pushed her glasses back onto her face.

Loud ferocious snarls and growls echoed from behind one of the laboratory's side entrances while all of the surviving scientists and technicians crowded together around the main exit to the lab. "Damnit it's locked!" Clara screamed.

"What did you think they were going to do?" A terrified technician shouted.

"There's only one way out of here…" Clara turned to the now open side exit and the source of the primal screams.

Hundreds of different creatures from the land, sea, and air exploded through the open double doorway. Clara trembled along with the other defenseless humans huddled against the locked doors.

_Lupine__…__Sahagin__…__Scissors__…__Parasites__…__Allemagne__…__and__…__and__…__a__…__Dark Dragon! Wait! There__'__s something else__…__what is that? Some kind of Machine__…_

**Sahagin:** Small amphibious creature with a round ringed body, flat fins with three razor sharp grooves. Two green dilated eyes rest above a large nose with two nostrils. Two rows of sharp fangs hide a large flat tongue.

**Lupine:** a four legged, furless wolf beast with gray skin and two bright red streaks running down its back. Claws attached to each toe, and sharp fangs surround a long flat tongue.

**Parasite:** Small flat bodied creature with no fur. A small collage of different colors decorates the center of its back. The rest of it is grayish blue with no arms or legs. Only a short tail with a flat tip extends from its back.

**Scissors:** Tall humanoid creature with pale white skin. Each limb junction harbors no skin and its red pulsing muscles shine brightly even in pitch-black darkness. Eight inch curved blades serve as six of the creature's fingers ad toes.

**Allemagne:** Large monstrous head with one large eye with a bright red pupil. Yellow skin covers its entire form except for the wings connected to either side of its head. Purple skin glows underneath the creature's bat like wings. A short thin tail slithers underneath the creature.

**Armored Golem:** Large brown machine with humanoid form. Motherboard pulses with activity on the center of its chest.

**Dark Dragon:** Enormous horned dragon with dark purple armored skin. Golden skin covers the bottom half of its body.

The _Armored Golem_ began to glow and a bright orange aura of light swirled around its body. Clara's small eyes widened behind her glasses, which fell down to her nose. "Oh no…" A huge umbrella shaped fireball formed in front of the _Armored Golem_ then blasted towards the group of hostages. Clara held her hands up in fear, then, three seconds before the fireball incinerated her and the other humans she forced her mind into focus. "_M Barrier!_" A multicolored field of light surrounded the group of civilians. The _Armored Golem's_ attack smashed into the barrier. Three seconds passed and the dome of light remained strong and steady. Five more seconds passed and the light began to bend inward towards Clara.

"She can't hold it!" One of the technicians screamed.

"We're all going to die!" A scientist shouted.

"Clara, hold on!" Dr. Sanz frantically glanced around for anything she could use to help her daughter.

_I can__'__t hold it__…_ Small tears began to sprout around Clara's arms and blood sprinkled back onto her clothes.

Most of the monsters inside the laboratory had gathered outside of the weak barrier Clara constructed around her fellow Vandarians, anxiously awaiting the dome's collapse. Some of the sharpened eyes inside the heads of the mutated monstrosities rose at the feint sound of water being shredded. Twelve _Switchblade_ attack submarines filled their vision.

* * *

Ocean Floor: Above Marotherma Labs Processing Chamber

* * *

Commander Devron gazed out at the current situation inside _Marotherma_ then frowned as he felt his anger reach its breaking point. "Kazunian bastards! What the hell did they unleash this time?" His finger slammed onto a bright red button near his HUD screen. "Render! You're up!"

"Roger that, sir." Mark grinned sadistically at the creatures swarming around the laboratory. His _Switchblade_ shot forward ahead of Devron. A deadly blue aura surrounded Mark's craft and three seconds later an electrical current exploded from the two fins on the back end of the submarine. Mark emptied his _Switchblade's_ entire arsenal into the dome, barely denting its protective glass plating and with the combined strength of the spell he cast, smashed through the dome. At the same time, Clara fell to her knees no longer able to repel the force of the _Armored Golem's_ attack. Mark ejected from his _Switchblade_ and the craft, still charged with the _Techmage's_ spell merged with the _Armored Golem's_ fireball and crashed into the machine itself. The resulting explosion vaporized many of the small _Parasites_ and _Sahagins_ scattered around the laboratory.

Clara gazed up at the black clothed figure soaring above her. Mark spun through the air as the dome exploded behind him in a sparkling display of glass, water, and electricity. A silent thud echoed from beneath Mark's feet as he slid to a stop in front of the group of monsters. His back turned to the beasts and after every _Techmage_ piloted _Switchblade_ smashed through the dome he held his right hand up at the wall of water about to crash into the laboratory. _Wall._ A silver diamond spun in front of the rushing water then split and unfolded over every hole in the dome roof. A rainbow of color shined over the barrier and the rumbling dome silenced and settled.

**Name:** Mark Render

**Gender: **Male

**Birth:** 3884

**Techmage Rank:** 1st Class

**Standard Role: **Attack

**Flame Affinity: **70%

**Lightning Affinity: **100%

**Ice Affinity: **60%

**Earth Affinity: **75%

**Offensive Weapon: **None

**Defensive Weapon: **None

**Accessory: **2 Mystile

**Materia: **Fire Level: Max Lightning Level: Max Ice Level: Max Earth Level: Max All Level: Max Barrier Level: Max Restore Level: Max Heal Level: Max MP Turbo Level: Max MP-HP Absorb Level: Max Comet Level: Max Time Level: Max Destruct Level: Max

**Summon Materia: **None

"Someone back me up!" Mark shouted.

"I got you covered!" Cynthia flipped from the seat of her _Switchblade_. _Flame Embodiment!_

One of the many _Lupine_ prowling around the laboratory centered its murderous gaze on Mark's back. The beast lowered its body to the floor then lunged forward towards its potential meal. Cynthia landed beside Mark and slid to a halt four feet behind him. A second later flames erupted from her entire body then gathered around her feet, calves, forearms, and fists. Her body sprung to the side performing a vicious kick instantly killing the attacking _Lupine_.

"Thanks, princess." Mark smirked as he turned facing the monsters.

Cynthia only smiled and nodded as the ten other _Techmages_ landed beside Mark.

"I don't know about the rest of you." One of the male _Techmages_ commented. "But the sight of all this fish is making me hungry."

"Oh go ahead, Jerome. Eat the fish. The normal radioactivity alone will turn your stomach inside out." Another _Techmage_, Daniel Tenner warned.

Two of the humanoid _Scissors_ creatures hissed at the conversing humans.

"Hey Daniel, I think they like you. I think they wanna be your friend." Jerome joked.

Daniel only gave him a brief glare of disbelief before they both faced the monsters.

**Daniel**: _Aero_

**Jerome: **_Ice_

Two separate auras of light swirled around Daniel and Jerome. A few seconds later a green whirlwind of air exploded from Daniel's hands and wrapped itself around the _Scissors_ creatures. As the powerful winds ripped open hundreds of small wounds around the creature's bodies, a blue mist sprouted from Jerome's hands and combined with the green twister, turning the _Scissors_ into ice statues. As the Aero spell weakened the _Scissors_ hit the floor, shattering into thousands of pieces.

**Name: **Jerome Transon

**Gender: **Male

**Birth: **3889

**Techmage Rank: **2nd Class

**Standard Role: **Attack

**Flame Affinity: **3%

**Lightning Affinity: **20%

**Ice Affinity: **85%

**Earth Affinity: **12%

**Offensive Weapon: **2 Sub Machine Guns

**Defensive Weapon: **None

**Accessory: **None

**Materia: **Ice Level: Max Earth Level: 1 All Level: Max Restore Level: 2 Heal Level 2 Destruct Level: Max

**Summon Materia: **Shiva Level: Max

* * *

**Name: **Daniel Tenner

**Gender: **Male

**Birth: **3887

**Techmage Rank: **2nd Class

**Standard Role: **Attack

**Flame Affinity: **20%

**Lightning Affinity: **9%

**Ice Affinity: **30%

**Earth Affinity: **85%

**Offensive Weapon: **Broadsword

**Defensive Weapon: **Arm Shield

**Accessory: **2 Crystal Bangles

**Materia: **Fire Level: 1 Ice Level: 2 Earth Level: Max Double Cut Level: 2 All Level: Max Barrier Level: Max Restore Level: 2

**Summon Materia: **Typhoon: Max

Daniel gave Jerome a thumbs up gesture. "Nice." Before he could receive a reply, one of the many _Parasites_ in the laboratory latched onto his face. "Oh what the hell?" The sharp claws attached to the _Parasite's_ mouth dug deep into Daniel's jaws. His words were warped into agonized screams as his body fell limp to the floor.

"Daniel!" Jerome shouted. The gargantuan _Dark Dragon_ that stomped in front of him halted his dash to his friend. Jerome slowly gazed up into the beast's soulless eyes. "Holy…" One swipe from the dragon's massive claws reduced the shocked _Techmage_ to a splatter of flesh and bones on the steel floor.

One of the female _Techmages_, Jenevia Zalen, gazed out in disbelief at her fallen comrade. "Mutha…" Before she could launch any form of attack on the _Dark Dragon_, her peripheral vision brought a silently prowling _Lupine_ into view. _Haste._ After taking one step forward, Jenevia launched herself sideways into the air and spun out of the way of the _Lupine's_ pounce. As her body soared through the air with blinding speed, a small ball of fire shot passed her then slammed into the _Lupine's_ mouth causing the beast to incinerate from the inside out. Jenevia landed gracefully then glanced back at the source of the fireball.

"Thanks, Riko." Jenevia smiled.

The cheerful _Techmage_ of the squadron, Riko Sudan, smiled and gave Jenevia a thumbs up gesture. "S'ok."

**Name: **Riko Sudan

**Gender: **Female

**Birth: **3893

**Techmage Rank: **1st Class

**Standard Role: **Support

**Flame Affinity: **20%

**Lightning Affinity: **90%

**Ice Affinity: **45%

**Earth Affinity: **12%

**Offensive Weapon: **None

**Defensive Weapon: **None

**Accessory: **2 Minerva Bands

**Materia: **Fire Level: 2 Lightning Level: Max Ice Level: Max Earth Level: 2 All level: Max Barrier Level: Max

**Summon Materia: **Ramuh Level: 3

* * *

**Name: **Jenevia Zalen

**Gender: **Female

**Birth: **3891

**Techmage Rank: **1st Class

**Standard Role: **Support

**Flame Affinity: **10%

**Lightning Affinity: **10%

**Ice Affinity: **14%

**Earth Affinity: **12%

**Offensive Weapon: **Nine-Millimeter Berreta Handgun

**Defensive Weapon: **arm Shield

**Accessory: **1 Aegis Amulet

**Materia: **Fire Level: 1 Lightning Level: 1 Ice Level: 2 Earth Level: 3 All Level: Max Barrier Level: Max Restore Level: Max Heal Level: Max Destruct Level: Max Time Level: Max

**Summon Materia: **Phoenix Level: Max

Mathew Serge and Rillian Sena casually walked forward through the battle between their squadron and the monsters. They both stepped to the side as Commander Devron and Mark Render stepped in-between them. All four _Techmages_ gazed up at the _Dark Dragon_ glaring down at them.

Mark titled his head in Sena's direction without removing his stare from the Dragon. "You think you can handle this guy? Or do you need _him_ to call you girly too?"

Sena frowned at the black mage then glared at the Dragon. "Keep him away from me, Devron."

"Yes ma'am." Devron chuckled.

"So…who's it gonna be?" Serge asked.

"Are you crazy? Just about any anomaly brought out here would bring the whole place down. That barrier doesn't have much longer either, I only had enough time to reinforce it twice. I'd say we got about twenty minutes before this section of the complex becomes a fish tank." Mark warned.

Serge gave Mark a brief glance of annoyance then returned his stare to the dragon. "I meant, who's the bait?"

"Well…" Sena drew her daggers. "Seeing as how I'm faster than all three of you _combined_."

"All right, Sena, you're up." Devron ordered.

Immediately after Sena darted forward, the _Dark Dragon_ swung its body around and whipped its massive spiked tail towards the blue haired _Techmage_. Sena leapt into the air then flipped forward sliding the edge of her right dagger along the dragon's neck as it came around. She gritted her teeth in frustration, as the dragon's neck remained unharmed.

While the beast glared down at Sena, Mark planted his feet firmly onto the floor then held his right hand up in front of the dragon. _Lightning Storm__…__no ahh__…__I only got one thing better but I shouldn__'__t need it__…__all right then__…__Lightning Storm!_ A blue aura the same color as the aura surrounding Mark wavered above the _Dark Dragon_. Five seconds later a collage of lightning bolts thicker than Earth's most dense forests shot down from the aura into the _Dark Dragon_. Sena dived out of the way of the powerful blast barely escaping the electric inferno. The following explosion shook the dome but the barrier remained strong and steady.

"Hey you almost killed me you bastard!" Sena's voice shot through the smoke into Mark's ears.

"You know what, being the hero that slayed the dragon makes taking her bad attitude more than worth it." Mark smirked. The ground shook under the black mage's feet. Seconds later the smoke dispersed in every direction as the _Dark Dragon_ let out an ear-piercing roar that shook the laboratory. Mark sighed in annoyance. "I just can't win."

Serge drew his Katana at the sight of three _Sahagins_ and six _Lupines_ gathering around the _Dark Dragon_. "I don't think so." _Slash All_. His brown trench coat fluttered from the force of the energy building inside his body. The captain's body became transparent then split into nine identical copies that all took an intimidating fighting stance. Two seconds later, Serge and his eight copies launched themselves forward sliding along the floor and then with one well placed slash, decapitated every mutated monster around the _Dark Dragon_. After coming to a halt, Serge pulled his shotgun from beneath his coat and as his clones vanished, fired a single round, scoring a direct hit on the dragon's face. "Oh you have got to be shitting me…" He dove out of the way as his attack caused no visible damage to the beast.

Mark glanced over at Devron. "So, now what?"

Before the commander could answer, a small girl ran up beside him. "That dragon's armor is nearly indestructible."

"Yeah…I think we figured that part out." Mark commented.

"The only way to beat it is to inflict damage somewhere other than the outside of its body." The girl explained.

"And just how do you suggest we do that?" Devron asked.

Clara folded her arms. "Hey, I'm just a scientist. Battle strategy is _your_ area of expertise."

"Right." Devron held his forehead in his left hand. "I can't believe I'm taking battle advice from a nine year old."

"Hey! I'm fourteen!" Clara shouted.

"Really? Now I've seen everything." Mark joked. He grabbed Clara by the waist then glanced at Devron. "Look out!" Both _Techmages_ jumped to the side as a stream of blue flame erupted from the _Dark Dragon's_ mouth in their direction.

Devron front rolled to his feet then faced the dragon. "That's it."

**Name: **Roland Devron

**Gender: **Male

**Birth: **3892

**Techmage Rank: **1st Class

**Standard Role: **Attack

**Flame Affinity: **20%

**Lightning Affinity: **93%

**Ice Affinity: **60%

**Earth Affinity: **33%

**Offensive Weapon: **Retractable Lance

**Defensive Weapon: **None

**Accessory: **1 Gold Armlet

**Materia: **Fire Level: 2 Lightning Level: Max Ice Level: Max Earth Level: 3 All level: Max Restore Level: Max Heal Level: Max Time Level: Max Destruct Level: Max

**Summon Materia: **Ramuh Level: Max

Devron held both of his hands up in front of the _Dark Dragon_. _Slow_. The monster's claw halted itself three feet away from the commander and continued moving towards him at a severely decreased rate of speed. "Do it now, Render!" Shove some rocks down this bastard's throat!"

"Roger that, boss." Mark replied. _Comet Storm._

Mark faced the near immobilized dragon with a cold expression covering his face. Twenty feet above him, a black vortex with a blood red aura swirling inside of it ripped open. Above _Marotherma_, above the ocean, even above planet Earth in outer space, the same portal vortex ripped open among the stars. Three massive comets were pulled into the portal before it closed. Back in _Marotherma_ the spell cast by Commander Devron began weakening just as the comets launched from the portal, one after the other. One second before the comet connected with the _Dark Dragon_, the now terrified beast screeched in fear and made a vein attempt at escape. The first comet to emerge from the portal smashed into the _Dark Dragon's_ mouth, reducing its head and neck to a blood splatter of flesh. The second comet crashed into the beast's body causing the dead flesh to implode and the third comet smashed through the steel floor of the lab causing a massive explosion that incinerated what was left of the dragon.

"Mmmm barbecued dragon." Mark joked. His gaze rose to the ceiling at the sound of the dome beginning to suppress under the weight of the water pressure from the ocean. "Ok…I think it's time for us to go now."

"Maybe out of this section, but we still haven't found the _Leviathan_ Materia." Devron commented.

"The imperials took it." Clara added.

"Damnit!" Devron shouted.

Mark glanced over at Commander Devron again. "So…now what?"

"They had only just left when you guys showed up, they couldn't have possibly gotten back to any of the exit docks yet." Clara explained.

Devron nodded to Clara as the eight remaining _Techmages_ scattered around the lab regrouped around him. "Is he going to be ok?" Devron stared at Daniel and the two bluish wounds the _Parasite_ inflicted on his face.

Jenevia held Daniel up with Riko's help. "Yeah I think so. That…thing…whatever the hell it was only seemed to be sedating him. It hadn't gotten around to munching on him yet. Sir, we lost Gormen…one of those white things with the claws got him in the chest. But he took it out though with a firestorm. Jerome got taken out by the big lizard."

"I think we should get Daniel checked for any kind of radiation infection when we get back." Riko suggested.

Devron nodded once more. "Agreed." His stare turned to the left. "Render, Sena, you two take the civilians to the exit dock the imperials didn't ransack."

"And which one would that be?" Mark wondered.

"They went out through the left exit so the right dock should be clear." Clara added.

"All right then get to it." Devron ordered. "Take Daniel with you, those techies can help you carry him. The rest of you are with me, we're going to take back the Materia."

"Uh, Roland…" Serge raised his right hand.

"What is it, Serge?" Devron asked.

"Yeah uh…" Serge scratched the back of his head. "What…what…what if they _use_ the _Leviathan_?"

"You gotta be kidding." Riko spat out.

"Not even the Kazunians are crazy enough to use that thing underwater." Jenevia added.

Clara took one last glance at her saviors before joining the rest of the civilians. "It was _Chaos Blue_ who took the Materia."

The _Techmages_ all stared at each other with grim expressions covering their faces.

"Ok…" Devron glanced at the two _Techmages_ to his left. "Handler, Fernen…"

The man and woman both stared at Devron.

**Name: **Shannon Handler

**Gender: **Female

**Birth: **3880

**Techmage Rank: **2nd Class

**Standard Role: **Support

**Flame Affinity: **100%

**Lightning Affinity: **12%

**Ice Affinity: **3%

**Earth Affinity: **8%

**Offensive Weapon: **Beam Crossbow

**Defensive Weapon: **None

**Accessory: **2 Crystal Bangles

**Materia: **Fire Level: 3 Lightning Level: 1 Earth level: 2 All Level: Max Barrier Level: Max Restore Level: Max Heal Level: Max MP Turbo Level: 1 MP-HP Absorb Level: Max Destruct Level: Max

**Summon Materia: **Ifrit Level: 3

* * *

**Name: **Hank Fernen

**Gender: **Male

**Birth: **3882

**Techmage Rank: **1st Class

**Standard Role: **Attack

**Flame Affinity: **14%

**Lightning Affinity: **70%

**Ice Affinity: **2%

**Earth Affinity: **100%

**Offensive Weapon: **2 Katanas

**Defensive Weapon: **None

**Accessory: **1 Crystal Bangle

**Materia: **Lightning Level: Max Earth Level: Max All Level: Max Barrier Level: Max Restore Level: Max Heal Level: Max MP Turbo Level: 3 MP-HP Absorb Level: Max

**Summon Materia: **Titan Level: Max Ramuh Level: 2

"Yes sir?" Both Fernen and Handler replied.

"You two are taking point with Bevelle." Devron's gaze turned to Serge, Riko, and Jenevia. "Serge, You're with me. Sudan and Zalen, you two will bring up the rear." The commander turned to the right exit. "Let's move people."

* * *

Marotherma Labs: Northwestern Dock

* * *

Koren Danton held the red Materia orb stolen from the main laboratory up in front of his face. His eyes sharpened along with his sadistic grin as he heard the dome roof of the chamber succumb to the overwhelming water pressure from the ocean. "Vandarians…always the flashy entrance. I wonder how many of them were swept away…"

"Sir!" One of the imperial troopers called out to Koren.

"What is it now?" Koren griped.

"We established a camera feed into one of our subs by hacking the complex main computer."

"I know that captain, I'm the one who did it." Koren focused on the image of the creature floating inside the Materia.

"Yes sir but…I think you should take a look at this, sir!" The captain beckoned.

Koren sighed reluctantly taking his eyes off of _Leviathan_ then stepped over to the laptop monitor the captain held. "Interesting…" His eyes scanned the civilians being led to the dock opposite of the one he stood in and the _Techmages_ advancing towards him. "This should be entertaining."

"Sir! What about the hostages?" The captain wondered.

"Oh don't worry, I think the surprise we left in the dock should be well more than enough to handle two Vandarian _Techmages_." Koren chuckled.

* * *

Marotherma Labs: Northeastern Passage

* * *

"Damnit…I told him to keep you away from me." Sena said under her breath just loud enough for Mark to hear.

"Hey, can we get past the strong _I don__'__t need a man to complete me_ bullshit and concentrate on getting out of here alive?" Mark snapped with more authority than he intended to put in his voice.

Sena slowed her fast paced walk only for a moment while giving Mark a slightly shocked gaze before locking her emotions away inside of her. "I…fine."

"Lover's quarrel?" Clara held in a giggle.

Both Mark and Sena glared at the small lab assistant.

Clara slowed down until she was walking directly behind her mother, hidden from the _Techmages_. "Sorry…" She whispered meekly.

Mark sighed then glanced at Sena with an apologetic stare. "So what do you think they have waiting for us down there?" Mark tilted his head slightly in the direction of the large double doors at the end of the brightly lit tan walled hallway.

"I don't know…probably something big." Sena replied

"Hmm…maybe" Mark kept his gaze on the doors.

The massive east dock of _Marotherma_ labs stretched almost a full mile in length and width. An enormous rectangular pool of sea water sparkled in the center of the dock with slanted ramps stretching down from each side of the floor surrounding the water. The group of surviving hostages led by the two _Techmages_ spread out into the dock keeping their eyes pinned on the five small submarines floating around one large transport submarine.

"Yeah, like it's going to be that easy." Mark said dryly, folding his arms.

"It never is." Sena answered Mark's sarcasm with some of her own.

"Excuse me?" One of the scientists spoke up.

"What?" Mark turned to the man.

"Can you two _please_ stop talking about this whole situation like it's some kind of _virtua game_? Your lives may mean nothing to you but we value ours!"

"Hey!" Mark grabbed the man by the collar of his shirt. "Shut the hell up! It's your damn fault we had to come down here to save your freak experimenting asses so don't question our methods for saving them!"

Sena let her fury subside as Mark handled the situation. _He__…__can be something other than a jerk? _"Who knew?"

"What?" Mark glanced at Sena.

Sena lowered her gaze to the floor. "Nothing."

Silently, the water inside the ramped pool began to ripple. Bubbles began rolling out from the center of the large puddle of water. Sena and Mark both let their gazes rise to the center of the pool. Slowly, a round grayish black head parted the blue murky water beside the transport submarine. A sharp slanted face with black dilated eyes and razor sharp fangs emerged from the murky depths. Two broad shoulders attached to two muscular arms appeared next.

Mark and Sena kept their eyes glued to the creature rising from the ocean. Their heads rose following the mutant until its full form came into view, standing on top of the water. As their feet moved back, the rescued hostages stepped back with them The creature stepped forward letting the water ripple beneath its feet.

"It's not that big but…" Sena managed to say.

"It doesn't have to be…the damn thing's _walking_ on _water_!" Mark shouted.

"_Do_ something!" Dr. Sanz screamed.

Mark and Sena both glanced at each other for a moment. Two seconds later Mark dashed to the left and Sena darted to the right. The creature's hands twitched as it snarled and ten nine inch nails grew from its fingertips. A second later the beast began to spin with blinding speed on top of the water with its arms extended, launching the steel cutting finger extensions into the walls of the dock, and the bodies of a few former researchers.

"Take cover!" Mark shouted while forming a barrier around himself.

The hostages all ran and ducked behind several storage crates scattered around the dock.

"Alright you son of a bitch!" Mark threw his arms out to the left and right causing the barrier to shatter. His coat fluttered behind him as blue orbs of light rose around him. _Lighting Storm!_ The dense forest of electricity smashed into the creature sending electrical currents through it and the entire pool.

"Mark! No!" Sena shouted.

As the spell ended all of the submarines in the pool exploded creating a flaming inferno.

"Ooohh…" Mark groaned in shame.

Sena glared at Mark for a handful of moments. "IDIOT!"

Mark scratched the back of his head with his right hand with an embarrassed smirk on his face. "My bad…"

"No! Now we really are all going to die!" One of the scientists yelled.

"No we're not." Mark said coolly. "We just have to find another submarine in some other dome somewhere."

A violent rumbling shook the dock knocking several of the hostages off of their feet. Before anyone could react to the current situation, an even bigger problem slammed into the dock double doors and began leaking through.

Mark gazed out in shock at the double doors as the ocean began pushing them inward towards the dock. "Ah…shit." His eyes locked onto a dark figure hidden by the black smoke from the explosion and tracked it across the pool. "Sena! Look out!"

Reflexive motion overtook Sena's body before her mind allowed her to realize what was happening. Before she could process the situation she found herself in the air, after launching her body from the floor and kicking off the wall with her left foot, barely dodging four long claws launched by the mutant. The creature stared up at Sena from the floor snarling then in an instant, kicked itself off of the wall and flew through the air after her.

_Tech-Aero._

Emerald wisps of wind surrounded Sena's body and she spun through the air across the near half mile wide pool and landed gracefully on the other side. Somehow the seasoned soldier's instincts had picked up a slight latency. Her body rose slowly as her mind expected the creature to be glaring at her from across the pool. Instead the monster was less than ten feet away from her, running with blinding speed across the water cutting the liquid beneath its webbed feet and spouting it into the air on its left and right sides. Sena barely had a second to turn and draw her daggers, halting two of the mutant's claws three inches from her face with a loud clang and a bright spark. A combative dance of light and speed ensued between the two enemies.

Mark darted to the left side of the pool preparing his body to withstand the force of a firestorm spell then slid to a stop twenty feet away from the battle. "Sena! Move!"

"What have I been doing for the last three minutes!" Sena shouted after finally opening up a wound on the creature's right arm causing black blood to spew onto her black uniform. She used the brief pause in violence to dash away from the creature.

_Firestorm!_ Mark opened his hands then pulled both of his arms back as steam began to rise from his body. Seconds later a swirling storm of fire encircled him. As his hands shot forward so did the flames and crashed into the monster, engulfing it in a blazing inferno. Mark let his arms drop as he exhaled and took a step forward. "Sena…"

Sena let out a deep breath she didn't realize she was holding before answering. "What?"

"That thing…something about it wasn't right." Mark said calmly.

"What are…" A deep gasp took away the rest of Sena's sentence as the mutant filled her vision.

The creature shot up from within the flames screeching in pain then twirled its body to the side and launched a flurry of claws towards Mark. The stunned black mage's eyes widened as two of the claws sunk deep into him, one in the left side of his gut and the other near the center of his chest just above his stomach. Blood settled in Mark's throat then splattered onto the floor as a gurgled cough escaped his chest before he fell onto his back.

"Mark…!" All Sena could manage was an uncontrolled outburst. "No!" She darted over to Mark, the monster briefly leaving her train of thought.

Mark's vision slowly left him as a dark crimson pool of blood spread out beneath him. A blurred image of the mutant briefly resonated above him then was replaced by Sena, who lowered down on both knees beside him. "Ha…how's it goin' doll face?"

Sena only smiled warmly at the comment, her usual flare of anger towards what she felt to be sexist comments gone. "Mark…" She carefully placed her hand on his chest, trying her best not to cause the fallen _Techmage_ any more pain. "Mark I…"

"I let my guard down…" Mark spat up another mouthful of blood. "It happens." His blood soaked lips formed a cocky smirk.

"To the best of us." Sena said meekly, not knowing what to do. She knew her comrade's wound was too severe and already too far gone for a simple restorative spell. _If only__…__if only there was something more powerful__…__why can__'__t there be some way I can help him!_

Mark groaned in pain. "Ah…this sucks. I was just getting ready to make my move on you too. Doubt it would have worked though…never could win over the feminists."

Sena found herself holding back a genuine girlish giggle. Something no man had ever been able to make her do, save Matthew. "Hey…I may not take shit from egotistical jerks like you…" Another warm smile spread across her face as she gently placed her hand on Mark's cheek. "But I'm not the bra burner you think I am."

"Ha!" Another cough and stream of blood escaped Mark as he laughed. "Gue…guess…" The life behind his eyes slowly began to fade. "Looks like I finally won." He whispered. Two seconds later, Mark exhaled his final breath.

A single tear escaped Sena's right eye as it closed. The droplet of water fell hitting the floor beside Mark's head. "Damnit…" A loud shriek from Dr. Sanz pulled Sena's mind back to focus on the creature. An infuriated glare from her eyes rested on the monster that now towered over the defenseless civilians.

"Mom! Get back!" Clara shouted while holding her arms up and aiming her palms at the scorched beast. "Tech-lightning!" Two small bolts of electricity shot from the small girl's hands towards the beast. Clara's eyes widened with shock as the mutant swatted the bolts down with the back of its hand. "No…!"

All of the civilians except for Clara and her mother had backed away to the collapsing doors of the dock. The creature let out a low growl as it raised its right hand preparing to rip its claws through Dr. Sanz. It was so focused on the scientist that its heightened senses didn't notice Sena, flying through the air with her arms extended and her daggers clenched tightly in her hands.

"Hey!" Sena shouted, causing the beast to turn its head to the air. Sena crossed her arms as she descended towards the beast then in one fluent motion shot them back to her sides and landed in between Clara, Dr. Sanz, and the monster on her left knee with her arms still extended.

A handful of moments passed before the slimy skin that made up the creature's neck split open and its black blood spewed out in every direction. Its head slowly slid off of its body with a look of rage and shock forever etched onto its face and hit the floor with a moist thud. Its body collapsed on itself and the gallons of blood retained in its body poured out onto the floor.

"You…you…you did it!" Clara smiled.

"So what! We're still trapped in here and the doors are about to give way!" One of the scientists yelled.

Sena sighed in annoyance. "Civies." She turned to the left wall and held up her right arm and opened her palm. Her hair blew back as red orbs of light rose around her body then flattened and vanished. _Tech-Fire._ The large fireball blew apart the tan wall opening a new path for the once trapped humans. Sena turned her head to the civilians. "Let's go."

Clara ran towards the opening with the rest of the scientists and technicians except for Dr. Sanz, who stopped beside Sena.

"What do you want?" Sena asked.

"Lieutenant…?" Dr. Sanz's voice stumbled as her eyes tried to locate the lieutenant's rank insignia.

"What?" Sena asked again.

"I know the chances of all of us making it out of here alive are…to say the least…dim." Dr. Sanz said quietly.

"What's your point?" Sena wondered.

"I just…I know if you wanted to…if you were alone you could find a way out of here." Dr. Sanz took in a deep breath. "What I'm trying to say is…when things get to that point as I know they will…could you please…"

Sena read the hurt in Dr. Sanz's eyes as the woman tried to say what was on the surface of her mind. "Don't worry. I'll make sure she sees the light of another day."

Before Dr. Sanz could thank Sena, the double doors of the dock exploded open and a wall of water crashed into the floor and spread out into the room.

"Come on!" Sena shouted while grabbing Dr. Sanz's hand. She ran towards the opening she created pulling the frightened scientist with her.

* * *

Marotherma Labs: Northwestern Dock

* * *

"Koren!" Devron shouted.

Koren gazed up at the group of _Techmages_ with a hint of disbelief in his eyes. "Unexpected…"

"Company!" One of the soldiers with the rank insignia of First Sergeant shouted to the Kazunian troops. "Fan out! Shoot to kill!"

The soldiers spread out to either side of the dock and unloaded a flurry of red laser bolt fire towards the Vandarian _Techmages_. The _Techmages_ stood fearless in front of the sea of deadly lasers. The bolts of death smacked into barriers and bounced in different directions. The soldiers ceased their fire and charged the _Techmages_.

Devron glanced over at Hank. "Fernen?"

"I got it." Hank drew his katanas. _Flame Embodiment._ Fire sparked from his hands then swirled around the adamantium born weapons.

Koren closed his eyes and smiled as his company of soldiers cried out in agonized pain. He stepped across the dock through the already ending battle between the Kazunian shock troops and Hank Fernen. He came to a halt as Matt stepped in front of the group of Vandarian _Techmages_.

"Captain Serge. I don't think I've ever had the pleasure." Koren smirked and held his unique weapon up taking a defensive stance.

Matt pulled his shotgun from the holster sheath beneath his coat. "Pleasure's all mine." Two golden bullets blasted from Matt's shotgun towards the Kazunian _Techmage_.

Instead of simply deflecting the bullets with a barrier, Koren blocked Matt's attack with the chakram attached to his weapon. "Senseless."

"What the hell is that thing anyway!" Hank and Jenevia shouted.

Koren glanced down at the large weapon on his right arm. "This? This is _N__ightshade_." The black chakram launched from its blaster attachment faster than a bolt of lightning and whirled around the Vandarian _Techmages_ then reattached itself to Koren's blaster.

Jenevia stood frozen with a look of twisted shock and fear covering her face. Her head turned slowly and her eyes centered on Shannon. "Shannon…?"

The only thing Shannon could manage was a gurgled groan before her head slid off of her shoulders then hit the floor along with her lifeless body.

The Vandarian _Techmages_ stepped away from their fallen comrade with shock and disgust painted on their faces.

"No!" Jenevia screeched. "NO!"

"You bastard!" Devron shouted.

"The whereabouts of my father before my entering this world is none of your business." Koren smirked.

"Kill him!" Hank screamed.

A loud crash of water pulled the Vandarians' attention away from _Chaos Blue_.

"The dome!" Matt turned to the dock entrance.

"Help us!" Clara shouted as she ran into the west dock with her mother, Sena, and the rest of the hostages behind her carrying Daniel.

"Oh shit…" Terror overtook Riko's face as the invading ocean crashed into the west dock.

"_Leviathan_!" Koren's voice echoed throughout the dock.

A white flash blinded every human in the room except Koren who stood silent as a blue ring of light encircled him. A mysterious character formed beneath Koren's feet and flashed causing all of the rippling water inside the dock including the tidal wave three feet away from the group of humans to stop moving. Everyone except Koren took a step back and glanced around the dock at the feint sound of a sea dragon's screeching roar. The reinforced dome glass able to withstand an impact from a transport submarine cracked with hundreds of tiny holes. The ocean poured in through the holes and flew through the air and settled seven feet above Koren forming a large sphere of liquid.

"Rillian! Where's Mark!" Matt shouted, momentarily taking his attention from the materializing summoning anomaly.

"He…he's dead. He died saving my life." Sena said making no attempt to hide her pain.

Both Sena and Matt returned their gazes to the sphere of water hovering above _Chaos Blue_. Two sharpened bright red eyes glared out from beneath the water. The sphere continued to grow until its borders nearly touched the mile wide dock walls.

Koren laughed darkly as he stared down his enemies. "If you will all excuse me." The sphere suddenly began to deteriorate. "But I must be on my way. Kazun has a world to conquer after all."

"You're not going anywhere you son of a bitch!" Devron shouted furiously.

"There you go again…" A large rectangular beam with a slight backwards slant shot from _Nightshade_ and ripped through Devron's chest. "Insulting my family lineage."

Matt, Riko, and Rillian all ran to Devron and caught him as he fell with blood gushing up out of his mouth. They watched in shock and disbelief as Koren casually walked into his transport submarine with an evil grin spread across his face. The four Vandarian _Techmages_ gazed up as the sphere exploded and the gargantuan sea dragon, _Leviathan_ roared into existence. Black hair covered portions of his face, slanted back along each side of his head. Two hairless whiskers slithered in the wind above his black beard. The summoning monster glared down at the Vandarians with a bloodthirsty rage in his eyes. Devron only caught a glimpse of the mythical beast before his life left his body and the dead hunk of flesh fell limp in its comrade's arms.

Sena turned to Matt as she gently laid Devron's body on the floor. "Matt…what do we do?"

"I…" Matt started.

_Take him._ Koren's evil glare bore a hole through Matt from the dark depths of his submarine.

The blazing red glow returned to _Leviathan's_ eyes as all of the water inside the dock began to swirl around the sea dragon. A small portion of the wall of water shot out from behind _Leviathan_ then smashed into Matt, slamming the stunned _Techmage_ into the wall beside the double door entrance.

"Matt!" Sena glanced back at Serge then gazed up at the wall of water behind _Leviathan_. Almost all of the small technological wonders created inside of _Marotherma_ including the _Switchblade_ attack submarines swarmed inside the large pool of death.

The arm of water suffocating Matt against the wall latched onto him and violently threw him forward into the Kazunian transport submarine.

"We're…" Dr. Sanz gazed up at _Leviathan_ with tears in her eyes. "We're doomed…."

Three seconds later, the dome roof covering the west dock shattered from the force of _Leviathan's_ screeching roar and an unstoppable force of water smashed into the surviving _Techmages_ and hostages. Sena, somehow managed to survive the sheer force from the impact of the water and floated helplessly through the violent currents. She could no longer control her body and her vision had already blurred to the point where even the blue liquid around her was out of focus. A desperate grasp for life from within the fallen _Techmage_ forced a violent cough from her throat but then her bodily functions subsided as a mist of darkness began to overshadow her vision.


	5. Two Sides

**Chapter Four**

**TWO SIDES  
**

**Planet ****–**Earth.

**Year ****–**3912 A.D.

**Country ****–**Kazun.

**Government ****–**Dynasty.

**Power ****–**Second ranked in the world

**Status ****–**Currently at war with Vandaria.

There are two sides to almost every story. War however, is three dimensional. The conflict between Kazun and Vandaria began ten years before the official declaration of war. Japan had been one of the world's reigning super powers even after their brutal war with America. As the first country to bare witness to the full effects of the atom bomb they became the first to manifest the effects of radiation poisoning on a mass scale. Unbeknownst to them however, even to the current leaders of the wounded country, a godsend, so to speak, was uncovered inside ground zero, Hiroshima. A small boy, his body riddled with pain and radioactive mutations, crawled through the large crater where the bomb impacted Hiroshima. His mind had left him and his vision darkened. He could barely notice the hole in the center of the crater. Only after he fell through it did he manage a weak yelp as he vanished into the darkness. His body splashed through a small pond miles beneath Hiroshima. Normally, swimming to the top of this pool of water would be an easy task for the boy; however his senses had left him, as did his ability to control his body. The boy sunk to the bottom of the pond and his back pressed gently against a large stone sunk into the ground. This stone was unique from the rest of the rocky bottoms of the pond. The rough cracked surface and edges of the stone stood out from the smooth flat surface around it. As the boy's consciousness began to leave him, the radiation pulsing through his body engulfed the stone and the rough rock began to resonate. Seconds later a bright green glow emitted from the stone as green misty arms of light wrapped around the boy. Over the next handful of moments all of the radiation poisoning and mutations riddled through the boy's body healed, however his bloody cuts and wounds remained. The boy's eyes shot open as control over his mind and body returned to him. He quickly swam to the top of the pond and took in a deep gasp of air.

"What…? Where am I? Mommy?" The boy glanced around the cavern. As the boy searched the cavern while floating above the water a small orb of light caught his attention. He turned his head and his vision centered on a small round green rock. "What…is that?" He floated over to the rock then cupped it in his hand. The boy gasped as a green light surged through him filling his mind and body with confusing images and voices. One word remained stuck in his mind. "Aero…."

The global scale war that followed the discovery of magic gave birth to countless factions over the centuries. One faction among the many that stood out from the rest were the _Sons of Zakun_. This small clan of mercenaries spread their ideologies of a strong imperialistic nation through the four islands of Japan, never fully taking control of the country. They instead, after a long grueling war with a few of the current major super powers gathered thousands of their countrymen and women together and fled to an uninhabited portion of Europe, which had been decimated by nuclear and magical war. In the mid twenty-seventh century the current leader of the separatists, Kazukan Rensuenada, led his army on a successful campaign against invading armies from America, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China, and the newly formed country Vandaria. After defending their home from their enemies, the citizens of Nakul, under the orders of Kazukan constructed the largest non radioactive explosive device known to man along the borders of their country connected to their neighboring nations. The explosion shined so bright it could be seen thousands of miles away even in the far reaches of space. This event was known as, _The Great Disconnection._ To honor Kazukan and everything he had accomplished in Nakul's honor, the people renamed their country Kazun. After Kazukan's passing a Dynasty Empire remained with his bloodline rooted deep within the royal family.

Almost every mass of land on planet earth had been merged with technology. All but a few small scarcely populated islands and the large country of Kazun still remained connected to nature. The country harbored all and more of the technology of Vandaria, however; trees still lined the streets and sidewalks. People entered and exited brick and wooden homes. Earth's scarce population of wildlife flourished throughout the country of Kazun. No soldiers marched along the streets of Nakul, the capital province of Kazun. Only the carefree citizens, the war was one of the most distant things from their minds.

Peace and tranquility rained over the carefree citizens of Nakul. Only in the several military installations littered throughout the province did any presence of war exist. In these battle hardened facilities some over a millennium in age, Kazun's imperial soldiers were trained and proficient in their warrior tasks and drills. One installation stood out from the rest, for it was not only the nation's capital headquarters, but also the military capital of Kazun. Soldiers and civilians alike entered _Drakoneasho_ and were reborn into the finest soldiers Kazun, if not the world had to offer. Kazunians were natural born warriors and it was once buried deep within their culture after their separation from Japan that a warrior who is trained to fight is not truly the one fighting. However, with the advancements in technology, training could not be avoided. Although it was true in most Kazunian minds that every human is born with his or her own unique combat style, no one believed that you could just pick up a beam rifle and be more proficient in its use than someone who has been instructed on how to use it. So several classes were incorporated into Kazun's system of combative knowledge. The highest of these classes, was the _Techmage_ academy _Essence_, constructed into the left portion of the imperial castle. To its right was the direct combat training institution, _Flow_. This facility was not run by combative instructors in the normal sense, instead the veteran soldiers helped guide their students to learn their own natural styles. This method of training although subtle, still went against the original teachings of old Kazunian history, however, in order to survive the past leaders of the nation had to sacrifice the true harmony of discovering one's natural fighting instinct with the flow of time, and rush the process, only allowing portions of the student's true nature to be revealed to them.

Unlike several other countries around the world, Kazun's magic capital, military headquarters, and main training institutions were all apart of the imperial capital. _Flow_, for the fighting institution and, _Essence_ for the magic installation. A nickname for the two had been created since no soldier graduated one academy without first completing the other. They were called The_ Flow of Essence_ in honor of the Kazunians' deep beliefs that no one can bring about their true magic essence without their body being able to flow with the currents of nature.

All _Techmage_ briefings took place inside the palace briefing rooms however not all ordinary military briefings took place there. The imperial palace, christened, _Draglumae_ by Kazukan, was the center of almost all of the major government transactions. The _Flow of Essence_ usually held a meeting between the two facilities to further imbed the knowledge that magic and the body work as one. Without one, the other would eventually fall. It was this day, three weeks after the return of Koren Danton that two of the instructors at the _Flow of Essence_, each from a different facility, brought their classes together in the large bright green field in front of _Draglumae_. The field was rectangular, extending all the way from the stone sidewalk in front of the palace steps to the same sidewalk behind the palace gates. The instructors, Malek Garner and Talon Tensu stood side by side as their students stood in a square formation, the students of _Flow_ to the left and the students of _Essence_ to the right. There was a five foot gap between the two groups.

Malek unfolded his arms and the wind blew his dark green overcoat back as he took a few steps towards Talon's students who stood at ease directly in front of him. "Today you are my students." He could feel the questioning eyes of his own students as his statement hovered into their ears. He reached into his coat being careful not to ruffle the business dress shirt and tie he wore beneath it and pulled out a green orb of Materia. "This is what I usually teach, and today will be no different. You will all eventually have me as your primary instructor in following the tradition that you cannot fully graduate as a special operations soldier or a _Techmage_ without completing both training courses."

Talon took a step closer to Malek's students, never removing his hands from inside the sleeves of his GI uniform. "We know you are wondering why we uphold this tradition even though you all were informed of it before volunteering to join either institution. More than that we know that at least sixty percent of you will fail one or both of these courses. Once you fail you may not come back."

"Excuse me, Sensei but from my impression of everything the _Flow of Essence_ has to offer in my opinion it seems as if the empire is just training _Techmages_, as I'm sure you all know the once hidden Vandarian academy, _Twilight Dragon_ trained…" One of the students spoke.

"_Techmages_. Attack, support, and summoning magic specialists. You learnt all of this from me, not just one area, which is why the majority of the failures will be from my branch of the institutions." Malek cut the student off.

"From me…" Talon added. "You will learn that magic may be powerful enough to destroy a building as grand as _Draglumae_ with the flick of a wrist…however…" The combative instructor glanced at Malek.

The magic instructor already knew where his colleague was going with the current situation and followed suit by activating a firestorm spell from the Materia locked in the crystal bangle around his wrist. The students stumbled back as the spell scorched the sidewalk behind Malek then shot forward towards Talon, who only stood silent with his hands still in his GI sleeves. A second before the flames consumed Talon, the instructor vanished from the students' sight. The confused students glanced around the courtyard spotting nothing then suddenly, Talon's shadow appeared over the grassy fields pulling the cadets' gazes to the sky, where Talon soared through the air with blinding speed. Talon landed three feet away from Malek with his arm extended and his fist an inch away from the magic instructor's face. Talon opened his hand and smirked, patting Malek on the shoulder.

"This." Malek also smirked and turned to the two groups of astonished students. "Is what it means to let your body flow with nature."

"He…he…" One of the female students spoke meekly. "He didn't use any magic but…he was still so fast."

"I cannot teach you how to fight, that skill and knowledge is already within all of you. The only thing I can do for you is help you realize that your mind and body are linked in more ways than science can explain. If I were to stand in front of you and attack you, your mind would fill with millions of techniques you could use to counter. Techniques you never even knew existed. Techniques that may not yet exist. However, this link between mind and body are blocked on a subconscious level. You have to embrace what your instincts are telling you when you see an enemy's fist or bullet or even their spell. What you may perceive to be fear or shock is really your mind trying to control your body's reactions. I'm here to help you learn how to let go of the chaos that is the human mind and embrace what your spirit is trying to channel through you." Talon explained.

Several hands rose among the students but only one spoke. "Excuse me sir…our..spirits?"

Talon closed his eyes and held in a chuckle. "Believe what you will, but there is a force inside all of us that guides us. Learn to listen to it, learn to let go of your fear and your body will take action on its own at first. Then you will find that instead of your instincts controlling you, you will control your instincts."

"Our people have always believed in the power of KI, or Chi. Think of it that way and don't be bound by the reality that has been set through the advancement of technology." Malek added. "The body is a living organism…not a machine."

A loud clap echoed in the students' and instructors' ears. Another boomed over the silence followed by several more. "Bravo, instructors…bravo." A deep cynical voice flowed into the class's ears.

Both Malek and Talon held back their anger at the sight of their guest. "Koren…" They both said silently.

"_Leviathan_ is safe within these very walls thanks to yours truly." Koren smiled maniacally.

"_Leviathan_?"

"Is it real?"

"I thought it was just a myth."

"Then what about _Bahamut_?"

"Have you heard about that ancient text? About the summoner and his merging with _Bahamut_?"

Malek glanced over the group of students as their whispers flowed into his ears. _It__'__s too damn hard, teaching a group of people how to channel life__'__s powers when life has been distorted into confusion._ "What do you want, _Blasphemy?_"

"Come now." Koren chuckled. "We don't have to use formalities such as squadron names or call signs."

"Who said anything about squad names…?" Malek whispered.

"My squad, _Blasphemy_ had nothing to do with my recent victory." Koren walked past the group of students and two instructors towards the main entrance to _Draglumae_, his sadistic ego feeding off of the uncomfortable stares the cadets gave him. "_Draglumae_…the dragon's light…" Koren gazed back at the two silent teachers. "Personally I would prefer darkness…far more powerful."

"The emperor has changed…allowing abominations to mankind like that join the elite." Talon commented after Koren entered the palace.

"A lot has changed old friend." Malek agreed. "Too much has changed…"

* * *

Draglumae: Throne Room

* * *

The imperial throne room was vast in size but simple in décor. Six massive wooden cylinder pillars were constructed along the left and right sides of a long thick bright red carpet with golden edges that extended from the entrance to the five steps in front of the throne. Three thrones sat above the elevated floor at the back of the throne room, Guan Suenada sat casually in the center while his wife, Selanae Suenada sat to his left. The third throne on Guan's right, was reserved for his nephew, Yen Kang who was not present at the moment. Only four members of the royal guard, Guan's most loyal and trusted soldiers stood at attention, two on either side of the main entrance, one on the left of Yen's throne and one on the right of Selanae's throne.

"Do you think it is right…what Yen is doing?" Guan glanced over at his wife.

Selanae Sueanada, considered by many to be one of the most gorgeous women in all of Kazun turned her calm gaze to her husband. "I don't bind myself by the chains of the world's view of what is good and what is evil." She paused for a moment as she saw a slight shimmer of uncertainty in Guan's eyes. "But…he will be the ruler of Kazun someday. And even Kazukan himself destroyed nations in order to ensure we can live the way we want."

"Yes I know." Guan admitted. "But that was a long time ago, when change in the world was punished openly. But now we are fighting mysteries and rumors. I still cannot bring myself to believe that Japan would choose to reclaim our lands now after nearly two thousand years of peace."

"So you don't believe Yen's claim that Japan has convinced Vandaria to secretly form an alliance with them in exchange for the location of a rare summoning Materia cache?" Salanae wondered.

"It is not that I do not believe him. It is just…" Guan sighed. "Few nations have the minds of their leaders. Even fewer will blindly follow them to the door of war. This conflict will eventually spread around the globe and may leave a near desolate wasteland in its wake as it did so many millennia ago. The people of Japan do not share the mind of their president so if he is plotting to return Kazun to Japan, when his people realize the cause of this conflict…"

The two wooden main entrance doors to the throne room swung open, interrupting Guan and a palace guard stepped through then stopped three feet from the entrance and bowed on one knee. "Emperor."

Guan turned his eyes to the soldier. "What is it?"

"Sire, _Chaos Blue_ wishes to speak with you!" The guard's voice was loud and strong.

"Send him away dear, I'm always uncomfortable when he is around." Selanae's warm expression reformed into a slight frown.

"He is a necessary evil, Selanae." Guan glanced at his wife then nodded to the guard. "Send him in."

Koren Danton stepped into the throne room with a proud and confident stride then stopped exactly one hundred paces from the throne and bowed slightly, remaining on his feet, with a taunting smirk on his face. "Emperor, so good to see you again."

"You were just in here yesterday." Selanae glared at the _Techmage_.

Koren's smirk widened into a sarcastic smile. "Lady Selanae, you're beauty still shines as bright as the great disconnection." He chuckled.

Guan smirked at Koren as his wife scoffed at the comment. "You may move closer, Koren. I do not trust you, but I know my good health is still in your best interests."

"Yes sire." Koren walked to within two feet of the steps in front of the throne, causing the guards posted their to tighten their hands on their spears. "I only came to inquire about when I would receive _Leviathan_. I realize the Materia cache near _Marotherma_ was destroyed but when I activated _Leviathan_ I discovered that it was not far from a duplication cycle." His smile widened. "Three or four more uses in combat and…"

Guan didn't bother raising his hand to silence his subordinate knowing that Koren was too proud a warrior to be silenced by any simple gesture. Instead he just spoke, cutting off the _Techmages__'__s_ sentence. "The _Leviathan_ is a great asset to our efforts and will be needed on the front lines of the coming conflict. Therefore I am placing it in the capable hands of my nephew."

An infuriated bloodthirsty rage flashed behind Koren's eyes for a moment then vanished. "The _Crescent Warriors_! That squadron hasn't contributed nearly as many victories to Kazun as _Blasphemy_!" His smile shrank to a smirk as he regained control of his unstable emotions. "Why let him distribute the new Materia to his squadron when they are rarely active?"

"Because they will soon be active, Koren." Guan said calmly.

"But…" Koren began.

"Remember your place, _Chaos Blue_. We do not have to explain our decisions to you. You only need to abide by them." Selanae's voice was cold and resonated with the disgust she felt towards _Chaos Blue_.

Koren held in his anger then bowed and turned. "Abide I shall. Good day Emperor, lady Selanae." He walked out of the throne room.

* * *

Blasphemy Headquarters

* * *

A dark structure peeked out from nearly a kilometer behind _Draglumae_. Its body took on a round edged cube shape with a sharp inward curved spike on every top corner. A black and silver color scheme covered the entire building from the ground up. The front of the building above its shatter proof glass double door entrance the word _Blasphemy_ was etched in bright silver across black steel plating.

"Do you believe in demons?" A soft voice flowed from the lips of a petite woman covered in dark black pants, black sneakers, a tight black t-shirt, and a black leather jacket.

"That's a strange question, considering many refer to _us_ as demons." A man with short brown hair answered the woman.

The woman brushed her long black hair behind her shoulders with her black finger glove covered hands as she let out a depressing sigh. "That's what I mean…" She glanced at the man sitting across from her in a small lounging area inside of the _Blasphemy_ squadron headquarters. "I mean if anything could be compared to a straight out demon born in the fires of hell it would obviously be _Ifrit_." Her green pupils scanned the room, centering on the television collecting dust at the far right end of the room. "An open declaration of war…"

The man scoffed at the replay of the Vandarian council's announcement. "You never stick with one subject for more than a minute, Val. I think you have A.D.D. or something."

The woman smiled then chuckled. "Don't get me wrong, Drake." She fondly ran her hand over the dagger tucked snuggly in its sheath strapped to her utility belt. "Every thought I have remains on the surface of my mind for quite some time. It's just I don't see the point in dwelling on things I'll probably never understand." Her gaze lowered to the silver tiled marble floor. "It's just…"

Drake remained silent, curious as to what his squad mate was thinking.

"Why?" Valery Fushidan asked no one in particular.

"Why what?" Drake Ternaka wondered.

"Why would god…an all powerful being who supposedly has nothing but love and tenderness towards all life create something that has a natural instinct to destroy." Valery spoke silently as her lost gaze centered on Drake's eyes. "Then give it intelligence?"

Before Drake could answer, Koren Danton entered the lounge with a displeased glint in his eyes and an expressionless face. "And then punish man for every sin he commits towards god's other creations and himself."

Valery smiled at Koren's arrival. "Why let us realize how fun killing can be just so we can be punished for it?" Her smile shrank to a smirk as her gaze returned to Drake. "I was just wondering why if there is a god, why he's such a pompous hypocritical prick that's all."

Loud laughter escaped Drake almost knocking him back out of his cushioned seat. "God damnit, Val I swear your sense of humor is gonna kill me long before any battle will."

"Burning in a lake of fire for all of eternity is a most unpleasant fate." Koren walked towards the lounge exit.

"Nah we won't have to worry about that. The magic in Materia is generated from the power of our ki spirits." Drake leaned back with a grin on his face. "So when my spirit goes to hell I'll just make sure to bring a few ice and water spells with me to stay cool and laugh at everyone who can't use powerful attack magic."

Koren allowed himself a chuckle as the automatic sliding doors to the lounge exit hissed open. "I'll make sure to bring a deck of cards along for the trip. Eternity can be a long time and watching people suffer in only one way can become boring after a few hundred years. Gather the rest of the squadron and meet me in the briefing room within the hour."

_Blasphemy's_ briefing room was similar to that of _Cel Solaria_ but on a much darker scale and only half its size. There were eleven seats for the members of the squadron and one lone podium for that of their commander. Behind Koren, a large screen displayed a digital image of _Draglumae_ which confused a few of the members of _Blasphemy_. This confusion was born from the fact that the only images ever displayed on the briefing screen were that of the squadron's next objective.

"So the mutiny's come a little early huh?" Another one of the female members of _Blasphemy_, Narkito Nyosha chuckled with a few members of the squadron.

Koren silenced the laughter with a commanding glare.

Another member of the squad, Devlan Tsung let his shock be read on his face. "You're serious?"

"We have the power to destroy the planet within our guns and daggers, why not start with an empire?" Koren answered.

"_Our_ empire. This is our home we don't have any reason to take it over." Glenn Fergone said shocked.

"Oh shut up." Valery snapped. "The boss is just pissed off because the emperor wont let him play with his _Leviathan_ Materia."

"That's right." Koren nodded. He took a step to the side allowing his squadron a full view of the screen behind him. The image of _Draglumae_ was replaced with that of the pages of an ancient book. Three dimensional renderings of the Earth during the medieval ages flashed across the screen one after the next. Images of dragons and other mythical beasts drawn onto the pages of several ancient texts held _Blasphemy__'__s_ attention for a handful of moments. "_Leviathan_…" Koren spoke as the images continued to flash onto the screen. "Is the first step into a world beyond what science has defined. World leaders no matter how in touch with their _spiritual_ side…our benevolent emperor included…fear this fact. They feel comfortable in the confused limbo science has wrapped around us. More than that they know that if anything were to rupture the near unstable bubble we have all been forced into…." Koren let the rest of his sentence be read in his maniacal gaze.

Valery's lips formed a wide smile as she finally realized Koren's plan. "Chaos…"

The other members of _Blasphemy_ Squadron began to smile as their leader's plan washed over their minds.

"With _Leviathan_ I will take control of this empire…" Koren stepped back to the podium and faced his squadron. "And then annihilate scientists' dismissal of the spiritual world…and from this renewed knowledge the world will rip itself apart in confusion and fear."

"And we'll be there through it all to join in on the blood spilling and take control of the battered remains of humanity!" Drake added.

"Question." Trenton Danzen, a tall man wearing thin framed green glasses raised his hand. "How exactly are we supposed to get the _Leviathan_ out of Yen's hands? I mean the _Crescent Warriors_ haven't been active in a while but they're still…"

"A lost cause." Gregory Murdock said calmly. I mean there are only six of them and they haven't been in any real combat in almost three years."

"He's the emperor's nephew..." The final member of _Blasphemy_, Han Yune, said silently. "A descendant of Kazukan. Their bloodline has bathed in the purest form of self trained combat. Not one of them, _including_ Yen have attended the _Flow of Essence_ and are still able to defeat the institution's most renowned instructors."

"Your point?" Valery scoffed. "He may be tough but his squad isn't. They've lost twelve different members already and there has always been only six of them!"

"The odds are in our favor." Trenton agreed.

"Yen wants the throne..." Koren's cold voice silenced his squad members. "He invaded Vandaria seeking to obtain the locations of _Leviathan_ and _Bahamut_. However things didn't go quite as planned."

"He should have taken, Zamen with him." Valery batted her eyelashes.

Koren chuckled at the comment. "The outcome would have been the same...no matter who was there. The only truth here is that I won _Leviathan_ and I am the worthy wielder of the ancient dragons. _Blasphemy_ will be the new world order."

* * *

Draglumae: Throne Room

* * *

"The _Crescent Warriors_ are dead." Yen stood before his uncle.

Guan's shock could be read only in his eyes. "Dead?"

"Yes...yes...I killed them." Yen's face remained cold and unreadable.

Selanae gazed at her nephew with hurt and confusion in her eyes. "There was never any planned attack by the Vandarians...you only wanted _Leviathan_ so you could..."

A crimson glow flashed from behind Yen's blue eyes, silencing his uncle's wife. Moments later another crimson glow emitted from the hilt of his katana. A blue aura engulfed him and a blue ring encircled him spreading out into the throne room. An ancient character spread out beneath his feet as the entire palace began to shake.

"Yen!" A familiar female voice shouted.

Yen Kang awoke from his daydream in the commander's seat of the _Trojan Cloud_, the _Crescent Warrior's_ personal airship. The collar of his red leather jacket stood high and felt cold to the touch on his neck. His black t-shirt ruffled while he shifted in his seat. His black jeans ruffled as he stood up. His short black spiky hair remained stiff even as his right hand glided through it.

"What have I told you about calling me by my first name while on a mission?" Yen smirked at the woman sitting in the pilot's seat of the _Trojan Cloud_.

"It doesn't matter what you tell me." The woman smiled. "You know I'll never care."

"This is our first real mission in about two years anyway." The copilot added.

Yen leaned forward and kissed the _Trojan Cloud's_ pilot, Rayne Sukio on the cheek. "Take us in fast, Rayne, this is Vandaria's most heavily defended Materia cache site. The Trojan will only be able to sustain..."

"I know, I know, I know." Rayne spat. "You really think we can find any evidence of him here?"

The Trojan's copilot, Denzy Runau glanced back at Yen. "Probably not."

Yen crossed his arms across his chest as the Vandarian military base _Hidden Sun_ came into view after the clouds surrounding his ship parted. "They haven't learned that the power of Materia can be read instead of used. Although power is a universal constant sought by every intelligent being...ignorance of that power will always decide who is worthy enough to wield it."

"So what if we don't find anything down there?" A member of the _Crescent Warriors_ asked as he walked through the sliding door entrance to the bridge of the Trojan Cloud.

A subtle darkness overshadowed Yen's smirk. "Then we'll rip this country apart at its core until we do. And if he's not here then we'll tear through every landmass on this planet until we find him."

* * *

Blasphemy Headquarters: Koren Danton's Private Chambers

* * *

A black aura, darker than that of _Blasphemy_ headquarters itself emitted from Koren's private chambers inside the base. He sat alone at his desk with a clipboard sized net monitor held out in front of him. The monitor listed the names of the members of the _Crescent Warriors_ and past combat data from those of the surviving veterans of the group. Only two names had data recorded from previous sorties.

**Name:** Yen Kang

**Gender: **Male

**Birth:** 3888

**Techmage Rank:** 1st Class

**Standard Role: **Attack

**Flame Affinity: **2%

**Lightning Affinity: **100%

**Ice Affinity: **1%

**Earth Affinity: **40%

**Offensive Weapon: **Katana

**Defensive Weapon: **None

**Accessory: **None

**Materia: **Lightning Level: Max Time Level: Max Restore Level: Max Heal Level: Max Barrier Level: Max

**Summon Materia:** None

* * *

**Name:** Huroto Jung

**Gender: **Male

**Birth:** 3887

**Techmage Rank:** 1st Class

**Standard Role: **Support

**Flame Affinity: **10%

**Lightning Affinity: **5%

**Ice Affinity: **89%

**Earth Affinity: **23%

**Offensive Weapon: **None

**Defensive Weapon: **None

**Accessory: **2 Crystal Bangles

**Materia: **Heal Level: Max Restore Level: Max Time Level: Max Barrier Level: Max All Level: Max Earth Level: 2 Ice Level: Max

**Summon Materia: **None

"Soon." Koren ran his fingers across the names on the list.

* * *

Vandaria: Hidden Sun

* * *

The name _Hidden Sun_ was not derived from the military base itself being hidden, but rather the uncanny stroke of luck that resulted in the finding of one of the largest Materia caches in recorded history. Twenty years ago during a small skirmish with Russian forces over trade rights to a smaller Materia cache a Vandarian soldier was wounded and fell beside a large stone plateau. He lost his grip on his rifle and the weapon bounced to the side of the plateau in the fading light as the sun had almost set. Since the sun was so low its light managed to shine through the sight scope of the rifle which intensified the light creating a small beam that shot through a thumb sized hole in the plateau. The once insignificant ray of light hit a massive four hundred ton formation of yellow Materia which in turn spread its light to the other colored rock formations which held the magical ore. This chain of events led to an explosion of light that blinded every foot soldier battling that day. With that new discovery of power Vandaria managed to solidify itself as one of the more powerful super powers of the world. In honor of how the cache was discovered, since the sun was half hidden behind the world as it set, a military installation christened _Hidden Sun_ was built around the plateau.

The base itself was surrounded by a mile high adamantium wall that extended twelve miles to the left and right then surrounded the plateau creating a square wall. Atop the wall were an assortment of automated, remote, and human controlled defensive weapons including over one thousand anti-aircraft guns, eight hundred cannons, and five hundred mini guns. Behind the walls, a large community of soldiers and their families kept the base alive and running. Although _Hidden Sun_ was considered a tour of duty since the harvesting of the immense formations of Materia required several radioactive powered machines which caused hundreds of animal mutations deep within the plateau caves, families were welcome and a few small towns were spread throughout the installation to accommodate for their needs.

Yen gazed out at the military base with a confident smirk covering his face. "Let's go dragon hunting."

The personal attack carrier for the _Crescent Warriors_ took a similar form to that of a standard Kazunian warship. Although half the size of the large vessels it carried twice the ammunition payload. The craft ripped through the white clouds of the sky and fired a large compliment of missiles towards the front left center battery of anti-aircraft turrets along the defensive wall of _Hidden Sun_. The missiles smashed into the anti air craft guns one by one and a wall of fire rose up from the left of the center of the wall to the right.

"What the hell..." One of the drowsy gate guards leaned forward and glanced at his radar monitor. "Oh shit!" He grabbed his communications receiver. "Foxtrot x-ray this is gate guard! We got incoming!"

"No shit gate guard!" The soldier with the current call sign foxtrot x-ray shouted over the radio net.

Huroto Jung, Yen kang's trusted friend and second in command of the _Crescent Warriors_ smirked as a Vandarian warship escorted by 28 F-25 Falcon fighter jets rose to meet the Kazunian warship. "So what do you think they'll do?" His eyes centered on Yen.

"They'll echo along the wind." Yen said silently. "It's strange how they are no longer living...yet...there they are...still moving...still breathing." His eyes widened and his gaze became distant. "It's amazing. Almost as if they were ghosts."

'"They're not ghosts I've seen ghosts and they're definitely not ghosts." Nazio Fuke, the _Crescent Warrior's_ light weapons specialist commented after entering the cockpit.

Niko Hong, the heavy weapons specialist had entered behind Nazio and gave him a hard smack across the back of his head. "You've never seen any god damned ghosts! Stop being so literal."

"Ow!" Nazio yelped.

_Hidden Sun's_ response was a little less than what Yen had expected or perhaps a little less than what he had hoped for. "Let's go people. We have a job to do."

Nazio, Niko, and Huroto launched from the _Trojan Cloud_ aboard Lancers specially designed for land, air, and sea skirmishes. The battle armors took the colors of their home country with a basic camouflage scheme. Niko and Nazio were also the squads attack magic specialists and began casting two separate spells from inside their Lancer cockpits while Huroto casted a magic enhancement spell on both of them.

**Nazio:** _Lightning Storm_

**Niko:** _Fire Storm_

A blue aura surrounded Nazio's Lancer while a crimson aura surrounded Niko's. Moments later a swirling inferno of fire spouted from Niko's armor and an electrical whirlpool danced around Nazio's Lancer. The advancing f-25s broke off their assault in an attempt to evade the attacks but they were not the two Lancer pilots' intended targets yet. The magical attacks shot from the Lancers then smashed head on through the left and right sides of the nose of the defending Vandarian airship. An electric current danced around the airship while fire pillars spouted from several points along its body. Within seconds the airship began to fall from the sky towards _Hidden Sun_.

Inside the military base the civilians inhabiting the small town scattered in fear as the airship twice the size of the residential area of the compound fell towards them. The front end of the craft crashed seventy meters from the entrance to the Materia cache while the back end of the airship smashed into the town, instantly vaporizing half the city in a blazing inferno.

The three Lancer pilots from the _Crescent Warriors_ began their aerial battle with the f-25s, making short work of over half the Vandarian squadron in only a matter of minutes. The _Trojan Cloud_ set down near the burning civilian town and its large exit ramp extended down from the ship onto the steel ground beneath it. Yen Kang, Rayne Sukio, and Denzy Ranua slowly walked down the ramp. As they cleared the ramp several of the _Trojan Cloud's_ automated defensive turrets pointed down, ready to fire on any non authorized passengers.

"That's it? Where's the ground welcoming committee?" Denzy wondered.

Several loud human shrieks followed by several bloodthirsty mutant roars echoed in the three _Techmages'_ ears.

"Does that answer your question?" Rayne folded her arms.

"Yes it does." Denzy smirked.

Rayne scoffed then brushed several strands of her short black hair away from her neck with the backs of her hands. "Peon..."

"Hey what the hell did you just call me!" Denzy's brown eyes widened then sharpened into a glare that he directed towards his squad mate.

"I believe the word was peon. As in lackey." Yen said with a slight grin. "But enough idle talk. The Vandarians seem to have their hands full with the mutants born of the Materia cave which makes our job that much easier. Let's move."

Thousands of frightened civilians scattered across their ravaged town in a frantic attempt to escape the hundreds of mutant monsters spread throughout the city. The battered and confused soldiers tried their best to fight back the monster horde but they were swiftly overtaken by the combined strength of the beasts' might and magic. _Hidden Sun_ became a shimmering display of magical attacks, laser fire, and explosions.

Yen, Rayne, and Denzy darted through the chaos towards the Materia caves and managed to reach the entrance without confrontation. However once they took a step towards the dark depths of the rock formations the roar of an ancient beast halted their advance.

"The hell was that?" Denzy took a step back.

"It doesn't matter what it is. It's dead if it messes with us." Rayne said confidently.

A bright orange light illuminated the cave. Seconds later a large flaming monster emerged from the light hovering above the ground. The beast took the shape of a fireball and orange flames burned around and throughout its body.

"Man...Vandaria's got some weird shit lurking around beneath the surface." Denzy drew his desert eagles.

"As do all of our countries, Denzy." Yen pulled his katana from its hilt and readied himself for an attack.

The flame beast roared again then flew towards Rayne who took on her own personalized fighting stance in response. She clenched her fists then leapt off of her left leg slamming her right foot into the monster's side. The beast shot towards the ground while Rayne's right boot along with the right leg of her piloting jumpsuit caught ablaze. Rayne landed on her left knee and quickly patted the fire out with her fire resistant gloves. The flame beast managed to pick itself up and returned to the air. Moments later an infuriated roar escaped the beast as its body grew double in size. The monster's body shook as it casted a fire spell on Yen. The _Crescent Warrior_ commander charged through the flames then spun to the right cutting a deep gash in the flame beast causing it to screech in pain and increase in size once more.

"I don't like where this is going!" Denzy shouted.

"Shut up and fight!" Rayne snapped.

"Fine!" Denzy frowned then fired a barrage of laser bolts into the flame beast causing it to lose flight again.

The monster remained still on the ground for a handful of moments then began to shake violently. Suddenly the monster rose back into the air and screeched up at the sky as its body grew out of control.

Yen's eyes widened. "Get down!"

The three _Techmages_ darted out in three different directions taking cover behind destroyed buildings and mining equipment. The flame beast's body imploded then exploded with a force equal to that of twelve standard grenades.

Yen, Rayne, and Denzy stepped out from behind their cover positions and regrouped in front of the cave. The three shared a brief glance before stepping into the now darkened entrance.

* * *

Blasphemy Headquarters: Squad Lounge

* * *

Valery, Trenton, and a few other members of _Blasphemy_ squadron gazed up at the large view monitor on the back wall of the squad lounge.

"Help us! The council has to send help!" A female reporter in the midst of the chaos exploding throughout _Hidden Sun_ screamed. "Kazun has launched an attack on _Hidden Sun_! The mutants that once lay dormant beneath the Materia cache that were thought to be near extinction have risen with a thirst for blood and revenge!" The woman turned at the sound of a loud snarl. "Oh my god..." She turned and a pack of _Lupine_ filled her horrified vision. Blood and internal organs splattered into the camera lens as the _Lupine_ mauled the unfortunate reporter. "No! Stop! Stop it! Someone help me!" Her cries warped into gurgled groans and the camera hit the ground in front of her ripped open body.

"Priceless." Valery grinned.

"You're enjoying this!" Trenton shouted.

"Aren't you?" Valery asked, genuinely confused.

"Blood and destruction can be fun" Trenton explained. "Especially when it's your enemies that are being mutilated." He folded his arms and frowned. "But not when our _other_ enemies are about to gain the upper hand in the bid for power!"

"Hmm..." Valery smiled evilly and shuddered as she rubbed her arms with her hands. "I think this whole game is kinda sexy. All this violence is turning me on."

"This isn't a fucking game!" Trenton shouted.

"Oh...I wouldn't say that." Koren slowly stepped into the conversation. "If you think about the whole situation in current global events it all seems like a game some punk kid would dream up in his basement."

"The object of winning though...that's what lets us know it's real. We can't just look over a strategy guide to tell us our next move." Drake added.

"What do you got for us, boss?" Trenton glanced up at Koren.

"Our next move. Yen is chasing a lost cause in Vandaria. I have a better idea of where _Bahamut_ is." Koren replied.


	6. Darkness for Hire

**Chapter Five**

**DARKNESS FOR HIRE  
**

The branch of the Pacific Ocean that surrounded Kazun was calm and subtle yet it roared along the country shores like a shield, as if it would lash out and destroy anything attempting to harm the land. Beneath its deep rippling surface, a dark blue machine sliced through the water and came to a halt on the beige sand. The sea faring vehicle was of Vandarian invention, a switchblade submarine. The tinted reinforced glass armored cockpit hatch slid back with a subtle snap hiss and Lieutenant Rillian Sena hopped out of the sub. The moment her feet touched the soft sands of Kazun her legs buckled and her hands and knees slammed into the dirt. Blood and vomit poured from her mouth as she violently coughed and gasped fresh air back into her lungs.

Her head turned and her eyes glanced back at the calm Pacific Ocean with a weary daze. "Monster…" _Was I the only one who made it? How… _"How _did_ I make it…?" A memory relapse flashed in front of Rillian's eyes. Marotherma, flooded with water wavered in front of her. Rillian's head turned and Riko's lifeless body drifted over her head. _Dead…all dead…_A flash of light blinded the _Techmage_ followed by a rush of water into her ears. _No…_ A switchblade zoomed off towards the destroyed dome roof of the laboratory. _Not all…_ Her body came to a halt as her back hit the hood of another one of the Vandarian switchblades marooned inside the laboratory.

"No!" Rillian screamed. "They aren't all dead!" She coughed again, vomiting up the last of the sea water inside her stomach.

An idea filled her thoughts. A foolish idea but the only one she had at the moment. She knew that the soil she stood on belonged to Kazun. Fortunately for her, Cid had designed the switchblades with the latest in radar jamming technology. Rillian didn't know if it was damaged during the underwater battle but it didn't matter. Her idea would give her position away the second she put it into action. She rolled her right glove down revealing a small digital watch which had a small radio transmitter installed into it. Some type of welcoming party would be sent to her location the moment she activated the radio so she would have to regulate its use. A silent chirp beeped from the watch as she pressed two buttons on either side of the watch and the device was instantly locked in to Rillian's squadron's radio frequency.

"_**Mad Cat** two, this is **Mad Cat** four, coming up on **Lightning Metal**…E.T.A. twenty minutes._" A male voice familiar to Rillian flowed from the small speakers on the watch.

_You have got to be kidding._ Rillian couldn't believe her luck after everything that had happened to her and her friends. "Denny!" She shouted into the watch with a wide smile on her face.

"_Boss…?_" Denny's voice came back.

"_Rillian!_" "Terri's overjoyed voice blasted from the watch speakers.

"_Holy shit!_" Max shouted. "_We thought you were dead!_"

"So did I…" Rillian admitted.

"_Where are you?_" Terri asked.

"I don't know, somewhere in Kazun." Rillian glanced around. "The shoreline not sure where…track my signal."

"_Already on it._" Denny came back. "_Wait one…_"

A handful of moments that seemed like hours passed by and Rillian's patience reached its limits. "Well?" Rillian asked impatiently.

"_No shit…_" Denny said half astonished.

"What?" Rillian almost screamed.

"_You're only three miles away from **Lightning Metal**._" Denny said softly.

"The heavy weapons factory?" Rillian blinked.

"_And our current target._" Terri chirped.

"You're attacking Kazun?" Rillian asked the obvious.

"_Roger that._" Max chuckled.

"_Payback for Marotherma._" Denny added.

"Payback…" _So it really is war._ "Word of our ass kicking got out that fast huh?" Again Rillian asked the obvious.

"_It's ok boss, everyone gets a boot in the ass every now and then._" Denny chuckled.

"_Shut up, Denny._" Terri snapped. "_Do you have any type of transportation handy, Rillian?_"

Rillian glanced back at the battered sparking remains of the switchblade that miraculously brought her to the Kazunian shoreline. "Not really." She thought for a moment. "But I'm sure I can work something out."

"_Well whatever it is, meet up with us at **Lightning Metal**._" Max said.

"_Yeah and I suggest you turn that transmitter off boss. The Kazunians are probably already on their way to put another boot up your ass._" Denny warned.

"Denny…" Rillian spoke softly.

"_S'up?_" Denny asked.

"SHUT…UP." Rillian shut her radio off before her squad mate could respond. _Let them come…Solves my transportation problem._

* * *

Lightning Metal

* * *

_Lightning Metal_ was one of Kazun's many weapon production facilities. There was one thing, however, that made it stand out among its peers. The fact that Kazun's most gifted weapons designer, Cyrus Blank, produced his country's pride and joy warships, airborne and seafaring. _Lightning Metal_ not only boasted some of the world's most lethal war machines, thanks to Cyrus, the factory produced in weeks what would logically take years to create, hence the facility's name.

"Keep it moving. Keep it moving!" One of the head designers under Cyrus ordered.

Inside the rectangular facility, hundreds of Terrain, Air, and Sea Lancers lined the steel walls resting silently on raised platforms. Large bendable metal arms with an assortment of construction tools on their tips stretched out around the Lancers, fine tuning small deficiencies such as welding errors. Beside several of the Lancers, Switchblade submarines also received robotic finishing touches. Thousands of mechanics walked the lines of war mechs and submarines, making sure the machines didn't miss anything. _Lightning Metal_ was nearly a mile high. Half a mile above the rear of the facility, thirty grated catwalks extended from the far right wall of the factory to the left above three Kazunian airships currently in production.

Cyrus stood atop the catwalk furthest from the back wall and gazed out at his creations while leaning forward, his hands tightly gripping the metal rail. "About time we went to war again."

Koren Danton stood beside Cyrus with a maniacal grin covering his face. "Truly magnificent, Cyrus."

"Yeah." Cyrus smirked. "I'm a genius. I know." He turned to Koren. "So…I didn't get any authorization for you to play with all these toys."

"Your point?" Koren's grin shrank to a smirk.

Cyrus kept his fearless gaze in line with Koren's twisted gaze for a handful of seconds before letting out a chuckle. "No point. Just like to know what my weapons of mass destruction are being used for when I can."

"Oh don't worry…you'll know." Koren assured him.

A loud siren rang over the loud ambiance of torches welding and hammers banging on metal. Koren and Cyrus glanced around the factory then firmly grabbed the metal railing of the catwalk as a loud and violent explosion shook the facility. Several shocked mechanics shrieked in terror as they were thrown from the catwalks and hit the steel floor.

"What in the…" Cyrus began then paused as he saw six rockets fly through _Lightning Metal's_ opened entrance towards the back wall of the factory. "HELL!"

The rockets smashed into the back wall, causing several of the catwalks to be blown off their hinges. The metal walkways slammed into the unfinished airships then bounced off and hit the ground, smashing several mechanics beneath them. Cyrus glared up at the entrance and then almost fell backwards over the railing as three Air Lancers shot in through the massive open doorway.

"It can't be!" Cyrus screamed.

"So…they've brought the fight to us…" Koren folded his arms.

Another barrage of rockets ripped through several of Cyrus's war machines and a steady stream of laser beam fire sliced open another large chunk of his workforce. "You mother ffff….!"

Koren removed his hand from the mouth of the enraged head mechanic. "Calm down, Cyrus."

"Calm down?" Cyrus glanced at Koren. "Calm down!" He slammed his hands back onto the railing. "They're destroying my factory! How the _fuck_ am I supposed to calm down!" Before Koren could answer, a Kazunian Terrain Lancer sped into the factory and Cyrus's hopes rose. "Finally something goes my way!" Cyrus smiled then gasped and again almost fell over the railing he was leaning on as the Lancer launched two large mortar shells into the airship directly beneath the catwalk he stood on. "HEY! Cyrus shrieked. What the _hell_ are you doing!"

The cockpit snapped open and Rillian Sena jumped out of her stolen seat landing lightly into the middle of the chaos her squadron had caused. "You…!" Her eyes glared a hole through Koren after she spotted him atop the catwalk. A blue aura began to surround her body. "I'll fucking kill you!"

"Not today my dear…" Koren chuckled.

"You…how can you be so calm in a situation like this!" Cyrus struggled to control his breathing.

"The simple fact that I am in control of this situation eases my worries, Cyrus." Koren replied coolly.

"How do you figure?" The answer to Cyrus's question came with a loud echo from a soft set of footsteps and music.

Black sneakers casually strode across the metal grated floor of the catwalk. Black baggy jeans ruffled silently beneath a black t-shirt. A green unbuttoned shirt covered in a black checker design hung loosely over the t-shirt. A caramel skinned young boy with caramel colored eyes and short black frizzy hair came to a halt in between Koren and Cyrus. He clenched his finger glove covered hands forming fists.

"I hired a gun." Koren's evil grin returned.

The boy exhaled a cloud of smoke from the cigarette clenched between his lips. His ears were covered with two cordless silver headphones. His eyes were covered with dark shades that hid them from the rest of the world. He gazed down at Rillian who still kept her murderous glare pinned on Koren. His eyes followed the movements of the three Air Lancers of the _Mad Cat_ squadron. On the inside lens of his shades, the boy read a detailed description of the Air Lancers as a small invisible tracking laser locked on to each mech.

"Four for four hundred thousand?" The boy's question was more of a statement.

Koren nodded in response.

Cyrus took a step back, too stunned to believe who it was that stood in front of him. "It's…that's…he's…"

"That's right, Cyrus." Koren said while smiling at Rillian.

Zamen Kensata, one of the most feared and respected mercenaries in Kazun stared down his four opponents. A handful of seconds slowly passed before Zamen leapt from the catwalk and landed lightly in front of Rillian.

"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" Rillian spat as her attention turned to the young mercenary.

Zamen stood silently, never taking his eyes off of Rillian.

"Well?" Rillian frowned. "Answer me you punk kid!"

Zamen still remained silent.

Rillian drew her right dagger and began to twirl it, charging a lightning spell. "Answer me!"

"Stop charging that spell." Zamen's voice was cold and devoid of emotion.

Rillian gritted her teeth then screamed as she sent large bolts of lightning towards Zamen. "Get out of my way!"

Zamen remained still, with his arms at his side. "No." The lightning spell bounced off of a magical barrier three feet in front of the mercenary _Techmage_ then vanished.

Rillian took a step back in shock then growled in anger while drawing her second dagger. "Bastard!"

The three Lancers of the _Mad Cat_ squadron circled around inside the factory then turned at the entrance behind Rillian. Another salvo of missiles with a stream of laser beam fire shot towards Zamen as Rillian began to cast a more powerful lightning spell. Zamen continued to remain still as he watched the barrage of weapons shoot towards him. When the missiles and lasers came within six feet of the mercenary, time around the weapons of destruction froze.

Rillian's spell was interrupted as she gasped and almost stumbled back. "What?"

Before anything else could happen inside the factory, a red aura surrounded Zamen. Several seconds of silence passed and then the volume of the music flowing from his headphones increased and a crimson circle with an ancient character in its center spread out around him across the floor of the heavy weapons facility. The circle slid forward until it was three feet in front of Zamen and a violent rumble overtook the factory. All time seemed to freeze for several minutes before the steel floor and the ground beneath it cracked and split open. A loud explosion with red and orange flames viciously lashing out in every direction erupted from the ground and surrounded an ancient demon that flew from the depths of hell with an ear piercing roar. As the beast soared into the air, the missile and laser rounds above it exploded, blasting Rillian back into the front of her stolen Lancer.

Cyrus's eyes widened as the shock and horror in his heart grew. "If…_Ifrit_!"

_Ifrit_, a dark brown skinned muscular demon roared up at the roof of _Lightning Metal_. An orange flaming mane extended down from his head to the center of his back. Two twenty foot long horns extended from either side of his head. His pointed ears peeked out from behind his mane and his half lion half dog face harbored two pitch black pupils and a long snout with razor sharp fangs lining his mouth. His hands bore five black claws and his feet three black talons.

Rillian groaned in pain as she lifted herself from the floor then gazed up in terror at the demon hovering above Zamen. "Shit!" She quickly hurried into her Lancer then transformed it into its humanized form.

"Holy shit!" Denny shouted as he pulled up on his piloting control stick.

"Break off!" Max Ordered.

The _Mad Cats_ pulled up and turned around for an all out assault. As they turned and reformed behind Rillian, Zamen's hands slowly rose to the sides of his green and black shirt. He pulled its sides back, revealing two highly customized emerald and ebony colored twenty-first century desert eagles. As he pulled the weapons from his holsters, a red mist of energy floated down from _Ifrit_ and swirled around him causing his hands to glow a bright crimson.

"What…what's he doing!" Cyrus glanced at Koren, who only continued to smile at the unfolding events.

Zamen stretched his arms out to the side and aimed his handguns sideways in the direction of the Kazunian Lancers as he began to run forward towards the _Mad Cats_. With every step the mercenary took, _Ifrit_ shot through the air above him with his arms extended and a searing fireball lashing out around him. When he was within ten yards of the _Mad Cats_, Zamen began to fire at the Kazunian Lancers on either side of him. Normal fifty caliber bullets shot out from the barrels of his handguns, surrounded by the immense power generated from _Ifrit_. They ripped open the Lancers, causing blindingly bright explosions that engulfed _Mad Cats_ two and three.

"No! My creations!" Cyrus shouted in anger and shock as _Mad Cat_ two and three smashed into the line of Kazunian Lancers and Switchblades.

"Max…TERRI!" Rillian shouted from the cockpit of her stolen Lancer.

Rillian and Denny let loose a barrage of mortars, rockets, and lasers, everything they had. Zamen slid to a halt beneath Rillian's Lancer as _Ifrit_ pulled his arms in front of himself and crashed into the stolen Kazunian mech. The demon flew up into the air and ripped Rillian's mech through Denny's Lancer and carried her out of the entrance. Moments later a loud metal grinding crash echoed from outside of _Lightning Metal_ into the ears of the humans inside.

Cyrus stood speechless on top of the catwalk while starring down at the carnage created from the battle. He slowly turned his eyes to Koren then re-centered them on Zamen, who was walking towards the catwalk that Chaos Blue stood on. Zamen stopped and gazed up at the _Blasphemy_ commander then holstered his handguns. He held his right hand up while starring at Koren.

"Yes…you earned it." Koren pulled a small plastic card from his coat pocket and tossed it down to Zamen who caught it and slid it into his jean pocket in one fluid motion.

"I thought…" Cyrus tried to distract his mind with anything that could block out his destroyed machines. "I thought he only accepted jobs if he was paid all in advance.

"This is normally true." Koren smirked. "But on certain jobs that have, shall we say…a _unique_ importance…"

In another fluid motion, Zamen pulled his right desert eagle from its holster and put a bullet through Koren's forehead. The impact splattered half of the _Techmage's_ head onto the catwalk floor and rails. Cyrus shrieked in fright and stumbled back, gazing out in terror at the near decapitated remains of Koren. His eyes shot down to Zamen who slowly holstered his smoking desert eagle.

"One for one million." Zamen turned and walked towards the factory entrance as the Lancer and Switchblade remains sparked and exploded around him.

Lieutenant Rillian Sena slowly crawled out from the wrecked remains of the Kazunian Lancer. Her clothes were torn and blood seeped out from several wounds that decorated her body. She barely managed to pull herself five feet from the destroyed mech before her strength left her. A low echo of footsteps flowed into her ringing ears. As she rolled over onto her back, Zamen's dark form filled her vision.

"M…mmm…monster…" Rillian groaned through labored breaths.

Zamen stared silently at the Vandarian _Techmage_ for over half a minute before he upholstered his right desert eagle. _Nothing more…nothing less._

A bright white flash from the black void inside the handgun barrel was the last thing Rillian saw before her entire head was disconnected from her body and scattered out across the rough stone ground that surrounded _Lightning Metal_.

**Name:** Zamen Kensata

**Gender: **Male

**Birth:** 3897

**Techmage Rank: **Unofficial

**Standard Role: **Unofficial

**Flame Affinity: **Unknown

**Lightning Affinity: **Unknown

**Ice Affinity: **Unknown

**Earth Affinity: **Unknown

**Offensive Weapon: **2 Customized Desert Eagles

**Defensive Weapon: **None

**Accessory: **2 Black Wrist Bands

**Materia****: **Unknown

**Summon ****Materia****: **Ifrit…Unknown

* * *

Twilight Dragon Transport Shuttle

* * *

Claire couldn't believe it. Even as she sped towards Kazun in the shuttle she acquired from _Twilight Dragon _she couldn't believe why she was doing something so insane. _A massive tidal wave generated from beneath the ocean violently hit the shores of Turhan early yesterday morning…_ The news broadcast she watched on a monitor inside her shuttle replayed in her mind. _Coast guard officials still have no explanation for the strange occurrence…_ She could feel her heart beating beneath her chest as she tried to remain calm. _Accounts from local fishing boats from Herren, Turhan's capital and the city that received the most damage from the wave tell of a bright blue light that shined out from beneath the ocean depths…_ Claire could barely recall landing in Herren when the broadcast blipped onto her shuttle monitor. She could barely recall ransacking her own apartment grabbing her civilian clothes, two daggers and the rest of her Materia.

_**Leviathan**._ The name echoed in Claire's mind. "I told them it was a stupid idea…I told them they should have let me come!" She trembled at the fear and rage she heard in her voice. _Come on, when have we ever __**not **__been careful?_ Rillian's voice flowed through her thoughts next.

Without any type of cloaking or stealth technology equipped on the shuttle, Claire didn't make it two miles into Kazun before she was fired upon by a squad of patrolling Air Lancers.

"Shit…!" Claire pointlessly maneuvered her craft only to have the rear left fin be blown off by an impacting rocket. "Shit, shit, shit!" The shuttle spun out of control towards a bright green forest that stretched for miles across Kazun.

* * *

Vandaria: Hidden Sun Catacombs

* * *

"Yen…" Rayne Sukio called out softly. "Yen!"

"What?" Yen Kang grunted.

Rayne stopped in mid step and placed her hands on her hips while giving Yen a frustrated glare. "We've been down here for _twelve_ hours!" She knew he couldn't make out her expression through the near pitch black darkness of the mutant infested tunnel, but she figured the tone in her voice and posture of her body movements would be enough to get her point across.

"I don't think it's here, Yen." Denzy Runau put in his doubts.

"I can sense something…something powerful." Yen said before trudging deeper into the darkness.

Rayne sighed in defeat and continued on behind Yen. Denzy shrugged and followed his two squad mates. Hours that seemed like days to the exhausted _Techmages_ slowly drifted by until finally, after descending several miles beneath the Earth's surface, the three Kazunians stepped into an enormous cave at the end of the tunnel. Yen was the first to step into the dark damp hole in the world. To his surprise, the floor his boots flattened over was soft and plush. He took in a deep breath and the musty stench of rotting animal corpses and dust faded, replaced by a heavy oily substance that polluted the air.

"What…the…hell?" Denzy asked no one in particular as he stepped into the cave. He quickly pulled a chemical light from his utility belt and snapped it in two. The cave lit up with a bright green glow.

"Holy…" Rayne gasped as she gazed down at the floor.

Sharp blades of grass as black as the cave around them crumpled under the three humans. A thick tar like substance oozed from the grass and clung to their boots and uniforms. Yen's eyes slowly followed the unnatural vegetation to the back center of the cave. His pupils shrank and his eyes widened when what rested in the back of the cave filled his vision. An enormous crimson Materia formation spiked out from the back of the cave. The tar dripped from the jagged tips of the magical rock onto the black grass.

"No way…" Denzy managed to whisper.

"It…it can't be…" Rayne shook her head.

Yen's own doubts were not enough to keep his body from moving closer to the Materia. He stopped three feet in front of the formation and exhaled a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "_Bahamut_…"

As if the powerful force trapped within the Materia were waiting for the ambitious _Techmage_…the center of the formation opened into a wide crevice, which harbored a small pillar that served as a resting place for a small orb of red summoning Materia. The black tar dripped from the top of the crevice onto the orb, darkening its glow and a drop of the tar smeared over Yen's right hand as he snatched the Materia with it.

"Is it really…_Bahamut_?" Rayne asked with wide eyes.

Yen gazed into the red orb of magic with an undeniable lust for power in his eyes. A dim grayish glow flickered inside the crimson orb. A dark image, blacker than the tar covered grass gradually materialized inside the orb. The image took shape and moments later a creature covered in black armored skin with long bat like wings and a lizard like tail hovered inside the orb. Its fangs were as white as a full moon and sharper than a katana crafted from the strongest metal.

"Yen…?" Rayne called out.

The demon glared out into Yen's eyes. _Gravajia…_ The name flowed into Yen's mind.

"Yen!" Rayne screamed.

"No…" Yen's voice was cold and silent.

The subtle rage in her lover and commander's voice sent a cold chill down Rayne's spine. "Yen…?" She trembled.

"Yo, Yen." Denzy walked over to his superior. "What's wrong with you man…?"

In the split second that passed after Denzy's question left his lips, Yen turned and an unholy substance similar to the tar spread around his pupils and corneas until his eyes were nothing but black orbs. His katana shimmered even in the darkness of the cave then sliced deeply into Denzy's stomach. The stunned _Techmage_ let out half a scream as his eyes widened in disbelief. Yen's black eyes slowly rolled to the right and Rayne's terrified form filled his vision. The _Crescent Warriors_ commander twisted his blade then glided it through the upper half of Denzy's body. Denzy let out a gurgled gasp before the upper portion of his body split in half, letting out a violent gush of blood and organs that splattered onto Yen, Rayne, and a large portion of the cave.

Rayne took a step back as Denzy's mutilated corpse hit the black grassy ground with a wet thud. "Yen…no…" She begged. Her mind raced with options she could take to survive, however her fear and confusion blocked out all reason and as her back pressed against the wall of the cave her body froze.

"Chaos…" Yen's voice was his own but another voice silently echoed behind it as he closed the distance between himself and Rayne.

"Yen…please…don't…" Rayne shook her head. She let out a high pitched scream and a pain filled gasp as Yen's katana pierced her chest. "Yen…" She gazed out at Yen's expressionless face as a single tear rolled down her cheek. "I love you…"

Yen pulled his bloody katana from Rayne's body and the woman's eyes slowly closed as her lifeless form toppled to the ground. "Rayne…" The tar seeped back behind Yen's eyes and his hands went through a fluid motion of sheathing his katana. "What?" The _Techmage_ realized what he had done but assumed it was another one of his blackouts. He knelt down beside Rayne and gently placed his hand on her cheek. "Rayne…" A tear rolled down his cheek; however, a smile crept onto his lips. "I'm truly sorry beautiful…but it was worth it. I know you understand." He leaned over and kissed her forehead then rose to his feet. "There's no one alive that can stop me from finding…" Yen trembled and his right hand gripped his forehead as an unseen force pressed against his mind. _You don't need him…_ the voice repeated its sentences hundreds of times in mere seconds. _He is weak. They are weak. You will die. They will die. Death. Fear. _"Chaos…" Yen spoke with a voice that was not his own. _Join us. You will rule. I will rule. Faith must die._ "You can't control me." Yen struggled to speak with his own voice. _I do not control. I do not need control. You want power. You want the world. I want the world. _"Who…who…are you?"_ You know who I am. Who are you?_ "Who are you damnit!" Yen shouted. A powerful blast of energy surged through Yen's mind as he gripped the Materia tighter. He grunted in pain and fell to one knee. His eyes shot open and the black tar covered them, flashing several images in front of them. Yen gazed out at a man with wings as white as the clouds and eyes as blue as the sky. His hair was long and black and his face was unimaginably handsome. Fire sprouted up around the man and the black tar slowly drenched his wings and his eyes.

"It…it can't be!" Yen stuttered in shock. "You do _not_ exist!"

The fallen angel gazed up at Yen with no expression covering his face. His mouth opened, and a row of razor sharp fangs lined the top and bottom of his mouth. He shrieked a horrible shriek that rattled Yen's mind then flew forward towards him with great speed.

Yen fell back off of his knee and his back smashed into the black grass. "It can't be…" _I am…that I am…_ The voice echoed in Yen's mind. _You shall have my servant… __Gravajia's_ hellish form flashed in front of Yen's eyes then vanished. _And power unmatched by the inhabitants of this world. _

The tar covering the grass that Yen laid on oozed from the once green vegetation. Within five seconds, Yen was completely covered in the tar. As Yen screamed and struggled, the black liquid poured into his body through his eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and even his pores until not a drop was left in the cave. Yen slowly stood to his feet and his blue eyes slowly scanned the cave. The grass growing around him, now yellowish beige without the tar, exploded into dust. Yen turned towards the tunnel that led out of the cave with a confident smirk on his face and began his ascent back to the Earth's surface.

* * *

Kazun: Forest

* * *

Private First Class Reynolds glanced around her new and unwanted surroundings, carefully taking in every detail of the portion of Kazun she had crash landed on. Her shuttle sparked and burned as steam from the fire Claire recently extinguished hovered into the air. The stranded _Techmage_ inventoried the minimal supplies she salvaged from the shuttle and spread them out along the ground beneath one of the thousands of trees that made up the forest she now inhabited.

"One fried beam assault rifle…" she sighed. "_Useless_. Two water pouches…three grenades…" She glanced at the small bladed weapons on either side of her hips. "Two daggers. Thanks, Rillian. And…" Even though she knew she was alone in the forest, save the many animals she could hear around her, she still glanced around before pulling her black jeans down far enough to grab the small bag of Materia hidden beneath her underwear. She didn't mean to put them there but her mind was too frantic back at her apartment and the old habit took control. "Fire…ice…and thunder." Claire smiled for no reason then placed the Materia orbs into the bottom right pocket of the cargo vest she wore over a tight black t-shirt. "Ok…" She glanced at the compass on her wristwatch then turned in the direction she was previously flying to. "Now to find…" Before she could finish speaking her thoughts two large red laser beams smashed into the ground three feet behind her, blasting the shocked _Techmage_ seven feet into the air and twenty feet forward. Claire's right shoulder hit the dirt first with a loud thud and she slid twelve feet forward before coming to a halt, groaning in pain. Somehow, Claire managed to push herself back up onto her black sneaker covered feet.

"And I didn't see this coming?" She asked no one in particular. Three red F-25 _Puma_ jets with black stripes rocketed over the forest, turning for another pass over the Vandarian _Techmage_. "Alright…jets. This should be easy." Claire reassured herself. _Thun…_"Shit!" Claire jumped and rolled to the left in a vain attempt at dodging an explosion from the barrage of missiles that ripped open the ground twenty feet to her right. Again the former V Trooper was flung through the air like a rag doll. Claire shrieked in pain as her back slammed into the trunk of a massive tree. Dazed and disoriented, it took Claire almost a minute to rise to her feet. She glared up at the F-25s then raised her hand. _Thunder!_

Claire waited for over ten seconds for her attack to launch before she realized she hadn't inserted her Materia into her crystal bangle or her daggers. "God damnit!" She ran for the cover of the trees then quickly slapped her thunder Materia into her crystal bangle then turned back towards the sky. _Thunder!_ A blue aura surrounded Claire's body. Three seconds later three large bolts of lightning shot from the palm of her hand and ripped through the cockpit of the lead F-25. The front half of the jet exploded and the fragmentation from the vessel cut through the right wingman of the dead wing commander and both jets plummeted towards the forest. The third pilot, not wanting to end up like her wingman, broke off her attack and blasted back towards her base.

"Yeah!" Claire jumped up and down twice then threw her right fist into the air. "Watch out Kazunians…" She made an imaginary gun with her hand and pointed it in the direction she was flying towards in her downed shuttle then winked her left eye. "Vandaria's newest _Techmage_ is gunnin for ya." She collected her supplies then started off towards her intended destination.

* * *

Forest Lake

* * *

Another Vandarian Switchblade submarine docked onto Kazunian lands. This one cut through the murky waters of a large lake in the middle of a dense forest. Dr. Karen Sanz and her daughter, Clara slowly climbed out of the Switchblade along with Cynthia Bevelle. Somehow in the midst of the chaos and confusion after Leviathan had been summoned, Clara had managed to claw her way through the ocean depths and key up the submarine's startup sequence. The following journey proved to be too tight a squeeze for the three women and they all gasped for air on their hands and knees after falling out of the Switchblade.

"Mmm…" Clara attempted to speak between gasps. "Mom…"

"Cl…Cla…Clara." Karen replied hoarsely.

"Vwee…" A violent cough escaped Cynthia's chest. "Vwee made it…"

"How long were we under there?" Clara wondered.

"Too long." Cynthia stood to her feet. "Almost two vweeks."

"It doesn't seem possible." Karen remained on the ground for a while longer.

"Our rescue vwas a failure…and…" Cynthia gazed at the ground as water built up behind her eyes. "My team…"

"Cynthia…" Clara rose to her feet then walked over to the defeated _Techmage_. "I'm sorry…" She placed her hand on Cynthia's shoulder.

"Me too…" Cynthia whispered.

"Hey." Clara perked up. "Your mission might not have been a total success. But at least it wasn't a complete failure."

"How do you figure?" Cynthia's eyes turned to Clara.

"We're still alive…my daughter and I…thanks to you and your team." Karen pointed out.

"But zey are all dead and zee Leviathan haz been taken by Kazun." Cynthia said in shame.

"This is the first war I've ever been in but even _I_ know that our side is gonna lose a few battles before we win this thing." Clara tried to lift Cynthia's spirits once more.

Cynthia sighed and glanced at Clara then Karen. "You may be right." A loud explosion turned Cynthia's eyes to the east. "Vwut vwas zat?"

"An explosion?" Karen suggested.

"Zounded like zome kindz of aircraft crashing." Cynthia's military instincts influenced her assessment.

Clara stared at Cynthia for a handful of moments before speaking. "Why do I get the feeling that you're wearing your _I wanna go check that out_ expression right now?"

Cynthia glanced down at Clara then winked and gave her a slight smile. "Becuzz I am."

"You're not going to go _looking_ for _more_ danger are you? After what we've just escaped from!" Karen shivered.

Cynthia thought for a moment then gazed up at Karen. "Well…how do you Vandarianz zey…?" Her smile widened. "Duh!" With that Cynthia took off running towards the origin of the explosion and moments later, Clara and Karen reluctantly followed her.

* * *

Blasphemy Headquarters: Squad Lounge

* * *

"He's dead!" Trenton shouted while slamming his fist onto a metal table inside the _Blasphemy_ headquarters lounge.

Valery glared up at Trenton after watching her drink mug fall over and the vodka inside of it spill out onto the floor. "What the hell are you doing!"

Trenton folded his arms and paced around the lounge. "That fucking snake, Yen!"

Drake let out a sigh of annoyance. "Spit out whatever it is you're going to say before I beat it out of you!"

"Koren…He was found dead yesterday at _Lightning Metal_." Trenton grimaced.

"What!" Valery shouted.

"The factory was attacked by a Vandarian Air Lancer squad." Trenton explained. "Koren knew the Vandies would send some kind of retaliation for Marotherma so he hired Zamen to guard the factory while our invasion army was in production."

"We know that!" Narkito screamed. "Get to the point!"

"Zamen blew his head off!" Trenton growled. "Yen must have hired the little bastard behind our backs!"

Valery shot to her feet, knocking over the table and grabbed Trenton by the collar of the grey t-shirt her wore beneath his black overcoat. "You're _lying_!" She screeched as tears of rage seeped from behind her eyes.

"We'll never get our hands on Leviathan now…" Trenton shook his head.

Valery shoved Trenton back. "You…" She spoke to no one in particular while raising her arms up then threw them down to her sides and screeched at the ceiling of the base.

* * *

Forest

* * *

"Come on!" Cynthia called back to Clara and Karen. "Vwe are almozst zere!"

Clara struggled to keep up with Cynthia and her mother lagged even further behind. "Why are you so intent on leading us into _more_ danger?"

"Think." Cynthia replied.

"Of what?" Clara wondered.

"I am almost certain zat, zat vwas zome zort of military craft zat vwas zot down." Cynthia stated.

"So?" Karen managed through her heavy breathing.

"So…" Clara hesitated. "So that must mean that there are other forces here besides Kazunians!"

"Exzactly." Cynthia increased her pace. "Friendly forzes I ho…" A slight gasp of air into Cynthia's lungs cut off the rest of her sentence and her mind pulled her body down and back, barely dodging a razor sharp dagger that spun through the air towards her and shimmered in the sunlight that peeked through the trees. Her eyes shot to the treetops and spotted the origin of the small blade. "Up there!" A fire spell began to swirl around her hand.

"Wait!" Clara screamed after her mind caught up with the situation.

"Vwat!" Cynthia glanced back at Clara.

"The dagger!" Clara pointed to the hilt of the weapon. "Look at the symbol on the handle!"

Cynthia scanned the dagger for a few seconds and the bright orange V painted into the black circle on the bottom of the hilt glowed in the sunlight. "Hey!" Cynthia called out to whoever had attacked her. "Vwe're on zee zame zide!" This was what Cynthia hoped but wasn't exactly sure. Whoever had just attacked her could have easily stolen the weapon from a dead Vandarian soldier but she decided to risk lowering her hand and dispelling her fire attack.

* * *

Forest: Treetops

* * *

Claire gazed down at the purple haired woman she believed to be a Kazunian _Techmage_ with fear and anger coursing through her mind. "What side would that be!"

"Did you ezcape from Marotherma! Like uz!" The woman shouted.

Hope sparked inside Claire's chest. "Who are you!"

"Cynthia! Cynthia Bevelle." The woman answered.

Claire remained silent, weighing her options for a handful of moments. "Ok…" She muttered to herself. "Wish that damn shuttle had some binoculars…" She jumped down from the tree and landed ten feet away from Cynthia. "Who are they?" Claire asked as Clara and Karen walked up beside Cynthia.

"Two of zee zientists that vwere being held hoztage by zee Kazunians." Cynthia explained.

"Hi." Clara walked over to Claire. "Name's, Clara Sanz." She glanced back at the older woman behind her. "That's my mom."

"Karen." Dr. Sanz said, clarifying her identity.

"I'm…Claire." A world of questions tried to enter Claire's mind, however only one managed to break through. "What happened to Matt and Rillian!"

The natural sparkle behind Cynthia's eyes faded as she lowered her gaze from Claire's eyes to the ground. "I…don't know."

Claire struggled to hold back her tears as the realization that she was right back where she started hit her harder than the missiles that shot down her shuttle. "I was…trying to get to Purgatain."

"The Kazunian mana prison?" Clara wondered.

"It's the only place they would take them…if they didn't…" Claire couldn't finish her sentence.

Cynthia gently placed her hand on Claire's shoulder. "I vwon't lie to you, Claire." She gave the newbie _Techmage_ a warm smile. "But don't loze hope. I vwas down zere too, and I'm zill alive."

Claire gazed up into Cynthia's eyes. "Yeah…" _Please…let them be ok._


	7. Allied Enemy

**Chapter Six**

**ALLIED ENEMY  
**

"Sarah." Zamen Kensata's voice echoed from beneath hundreds of tall trees.

"Yes, Zamen?" A mature, slightly robotic female voice replied.

"Put on some music." Zamen ordered.

"Your headphones are right there." Sarah pointed out.

"I'm not fighting right now." Zamen sighed. "Put on something epic."

"_How you remind me_?" Sarah suggested.

"_Nickleback_…" Zamen named the song's band. "Sure."

Zamen leaned back against a hard metal surface with his hands behind his head and a cigarette trapped between his lips. "I'm bored."

"So?" Sarah asked.

"Entertain me." Zamen demanded.

"How do you propose I do that? I'm strapped down to a flat rack." Sarah replied in annoyance.

"You' re a giant mechanized battle robot…" Zamen stated.

"Strapped down by specially designed harnesses on a giant cargo truck with a flat rack." Sarah finished the sentence.

"Useless…" Zamen sighed in annoyance.

"Explain." Sarah challenged with an aggressive tone in her voice.

"Don't get all _logical_ with me." Zamen warned.

"I'll do whatever I please." Sarah said, her voice losing some of its mechanical origins.

"Would that include entertaining me?" Zamen wondered.

Silence was Sarah's answer.

A soft constant chime echoed from Sarah's cockpit, interrupting the argument between man and machine.

"How many?" Zamen asked his Lancer's artificial intelligence equipped computer.

"One." Sarah replied.

"How much?"

"Three million."

"Where?"

"Purgatain…you said you would put off assassination jobs for a while."

Zamen let out one last breath of smoke before tossing his cigarette to the ground. "Not my fault that's all people want done these days." The moment his hand rested back behind his head a loud shriek pulled his attention and stare to the west.

"A woman…eighteen through twenty-five years of age to the…" Sarah's sensors and scanners hummed silently as she spoke.

"West, southwest…five hundred meters." Zamen finished Sarah's sentence then slowly rose to his feet. "Back in a minute."

* * *

Forest: Half Mile From Zamen's Position

* * *

Claire slid to a halt on the rocky dirt ground after diving forward. "Will any of this ever end?" She shouted.

"Zee war'z juzt begun!" Cynthia spread her arms out then slowly brought her hands together as flames erupted around them. The fire spell launched from her hands and smacked into the eyeless face of a giant green mutant causing it to recoil in pain.

The beast's upper body took on a round form with short round tentacles bulging out from its head. Over fifty long snakelike tentacles slithered beneath the creature giving it the ability to glide across the Earth with great speed. The center of the faceless creature's head was made up of a gaping mouth lined from top to bottom with yellowish fangs. Small bead shaped tentacles lined its head and slithered along with its movements as it roared towards the four humans.

"Claire…" Cynthia took in a deep breath.

"Yeah…?" Claire gazed out at the creature using most of her willpower to hold back her terror.

"Get down!" The veteran _Techmage_ charged the mutant then leapt high into the air. As her body descended towards the beast a crystalline formation of razor sharp ice surrounded her clenched fist.

"No!" Clara shrieked. "That's a _Marlboro! _You touch it you die!"

Clara's warning came too late as Cynthia's ice armored fist slammed into the center of the top half of the Marlboro's head. The ice shattered and the shards sliced into the creature's head causing greenish-red blood to gush out onto Cynthia's forearm. Cynthia kicked herself off of the beast and landed lightly ten feet in front of it. Seconds later her eyes widened and her gaze shot down to her arm.

"Oh god!" Cynthia shrieked as the green poison burned into her skin. Large red bumps spouted along her forearm and an agonizing pain rattled her muscle and bone. Cynthia fell to her knees as her vision blurred and coughed up one of the field rations she had eaten aboard the switchblade submarine before arriving in Kazun. Her back hit the soft grassy ground of the forest before the blood flowing through her body began to boil.

"Cynthia!" Claire shouted. _What do I do?_

Before Claire's mind could grant her a solution to the current crisis, the Marlboro roared then slithered forward towards her, crushing Cynthia beneath its massive tentacles. One of the few _Techmages_ that managed to survive Koren Danton's wrath inside Marotherma let out an ear piercing scream as the Marlboro's tentacles tore her body apart. Clara vomited up the small portion of the field ration Cynthia had given to her inside the submarine after reluctantly taking in the gory sight of the fallen _Techmage's_ corpse. Karen grabbed her daughter's hand and turned in the opposite direction of the Marlboro.

"Run!" Karen shouted while fleeing the monster with her daughter.

"It's too fast!" Clara shouted.

"Run anyway!" Claire ordered. She turned and darted towards Clara and her mother.

The three humans dashed through the trees as fast as they could with the Marlboro in close pursuit. Several small animals unfortunate enough to cross the Marlboro's path met a gruesome poisoned end with the slightest touch of the beast.

"It's closing in!" Claire screamed.

"Well _you're_ the soldier! Do something!" Karen shouted.

"Fine!" Claire slid to a dusty halt then turned and glared down the Marlboro. "Back off!" She blasted the beast with a fire spell then stumbled back as it charged forward unfazed. "Shit!" As Claire turned to continue fleeing one of the forest's giant trees filled her vision in the split second it took for her face to slam into it. Her back hit the ground and her refocusing vision caught a glimpse of the Marlboro's tentacles before they blocked out the small rays of sunlight peeking in through the trees. _No!_ Sweat dripped from Claire's forehead as her body began to overheat. Strangely however, her sudden rise in temperature wasn't from the Marlboro's poison.

An enormous stream of fire swirled through the air and slammed into the Marlboro. Three of the creature's tentacles snapped off from the sheer force of the blast, and the Marlboro was flung into the air then smashed into one of the giant trees causing several hundred pieces of bark to shoot out in every direction. Claire slowly turned her aching face to the side and two black sneakers came to a halt in front of her eyes.

"Whu…wha…?" Claire managed to stutter. _What the hell is that music?_

Zamen Kensata ignored the shocked and confused woman beside him and kept his gaze on the wounded Marlboro. He walked towards the beast with a slow fearless stride. The beast shrieked in rage slamming its remaining tentacles onto the ground causing an insignificant portion of the Earth to shake beneath Zamen's feet. Zamen cracked his neck then drew one of his desert eagles. Two seconds later a led bullet enchanted with a fire spell shot through the Marlboro's gaping mouth and bore a hole in the back of its throat. Zamen holstered his handgun as the lifeless Marlboro fell over.

"Claire!" Clara shouted as she ran over to the dazed _Techmage_. "Claire!"

"I'm fine…" Claire muttered as she sat up with Clara's unneeded assistance. "What just happened?"

"He…saved us." Karen stared at Zamen.

"Who…" Claire's eyes centered on Zamen's back. "Who are you?" The shock and pain from the blow to her head made her legs wobble as she rose to her feet. "Hey!" She shouted as Zamen began walking away. "Wai…" Blackness overtook her vision for a moment. "I said…" Claire fell in mid-step towards Zamen.

"Claire!" Clara ran over to the disoriented _Techmage_.

"_Zamen._" Sarah's robotic voice seeped through the thousand year old rap music emanating from his headphones into his ears.

"What?" Zamen kept walking back towards his colossal war machine.

"_Why did you bother to help them if you were just going to leave afterwards?_" Sarah wondered.

"Good deed for the decade?" Zamen suggested.

"Mom!" Clara screamed. "She's not breathing!"

"What?" Karen ran over to Claire then knelt down beside her.

A bright white light sparkled from Clara's hands and fused with Claire's body. "It isn't working!" Clara scanned Claire's body. "She isn't poisoned, the Marlboro didn't touch her…I don't know what's wrong!"

Karen lightly ran her hands over Claire's head. "When she hit the tree…she must have fractured her skull…brain damage…it's preventing her from breathing!"

"Shouldn't my cure spell have healed that?" Clara shouted in panic.

"It wasn't strong enough…" Karen glanced up at Zamen. "You…whoever you are!"

Zamen kept walking as if he didn't hear the scientist. "More like good deed for the lifetime." He said to Sarah.

"Hey! Claire is going to die if you don't help her! Why save us if you're just going to let her die?" Karen screamed.

Zamen continued walking for a handful of moments before a flash of white light overtook his eyesight for three seconds. He turned slowly, his eyes gazing out at the fallen _Techmage_ through his shades. Moments later he found himself kneeling over Claire and staring down at her. _How could you!_ A voice familiar to him echoed inside of his head. _How could you save her and then let her die? You can't!_ A young woman covered in her own blood filled his vision. She was soon replaced by Claire's dying form. "Because I can." He began to rise.

"Please…" Clara gazed up into Zamen's eyes.

Zamen waited to hear her beg again but she didn't, she only stared at him. There was nothing more she could say. "I…" _Why am I even considering? _He continued to hesitate, something he wasn't used to. _Fuck it._

Zamen reached into one of the Materia boxes on his utility belt and pulled out a small green orb then placed it into his left wristband. Seconds later a formation of white sparkles, larger than the ones Clara generated, swirled throughout Claire's body. She coughed violently as air returned to her lungs then groaned in pain. Her eyes opened slowly and Zamen's mysterious form filled her vision.

"What happened?" Claire wondered.

Clara glanced up at Zamen as he stood up and walked away. "He saved us."

Claire sat up and looked over at Zamen, who was lighting up a cigarette. "Hey." She called out. "Can I get one of those?"

_Hot and she smokes._ Zamen stared at nothing in particular for a moment then pulled out another cigarette and flicked it towards Claire. "Keep the change."

"What?" Claire asked confused. When Zamen didn't answer she shrugged then lit the cigarette with an incredibly small fire spell. "So what are you doing out here anyway?" Claire sighed while Zamen remained silent. "Ok…you wouldn't happen to know the way to Purgatain would you?"

"What the hell business do you have there?" Zamen spat.

"He speaks." Clara clapped sarcastically.

"We are on our way to rescue Claire's friends." Karen explained.

"Well we don't know if they're actually there or not but…hey!" Claire shouted at Zamen as he walked off again. She stood up and ran after him.

"What are you doing?" Karen asked Claire.

"Following him." Claire answered.

"Why?" Clara wondered.

"He's going to Purgatain!" Claire replied.

"How do you know?" Karen asked.

Claire took a moment to ask herself that question. "I…" She hesitated then continued after Zamen. "I just know."

Several hours went by and Claire, Clara, and Karen continued to follow Zamen through the forest. Claire didn't know why she was following the young man, but she knew that she had a better chance of escaping the dangers of the forest if she stayed close to him.

"So are you going to tell us your name at some point?" Claire asked him while pushing a strand of brush away from her face.

Zamen continued to walk through the thick brush, ignoring Claire and her companions. "Sarah."

"_Yes Zamen?_" Sarah's voice flowed through Zamen's headphones.

"Who's Sarah?" Clara wondered.

"Twelve clicks south by southwest." Zamen ordered.

"_Charting course to Purgatain_." Sarah complied.

"You have a transmitter?" Claire asked. "Can I borrow it?"

"_When will you be there?_" Sarah asked while powering up her systems.

"Whenever." Zamen replied.

Claire froze after a loud monstrous screech echoed throughout the forest. "Shit…"

"There are more of them out there…" Karen shuddered.

All three women turned and scanned the forest for a few seconds then turned around to find Zamen had vanished. The three Vandarians spread out twenty feet and scanned the colorful world of plants and insects, neither of them spotting their young savior.

"Where did he go?" Claire shouted.

"Shh!" Clara hushed Claire. "They'll hear you."

"Well we have to find him!" Claire shouted in a whisper.

"Why?" Karen asked.

"We just do. He knows the way to Purgatain." Claire concluded.

Clara sighed in annoyance. "Whatever."

"There he is!" Karen whispered, pointing towards a large grayish rock formation.

Claire darted over to the rocks and the small mouth of a moderate sized cave was revealed to her behind the branches and leaves of one of the forest's massive trees. "There you are." Claire spotted Zamen relaxing against the front left wall of the cave.

"Go away." Zamen said coldly.

"He speaks." Clara smirked after stepping into the cave behind Claire.

As Karen rounded the rock formation and peered inside the cave her body froze and her eyes widened after Zamen drew one of his handguns and aimed it seemingly at Claire. "What is going on?"

"You saved me from that thing out there so you can shoot me in here?" Claire asked.

"If you don't get the fuck out of here." Zamen warned.

Karen noticed that the barrel of Zamen's gun was centered on her chest rather than Claire's and her body instinctively took a step back. "Why?"

"We only want to get out of this forest." Clara pleaded.

"And attack Purgatain." Zamen finished Clara's thought.

"Well what's so wrong with that?" Claire asked with a bit of humor in her voice, shrugging while raising her arms up at her sides.

Zamen remained silent for a handful of moments before lowering his gun and re-holstering it. "I'm Kazunian."

Karen put her hands on Clara's shoulders and pulled her back from Zamen. "Then…why?"

"Kazunian or not I'm going to follow you to Purgatain." Claire walked over to Zamen and sat down next to him against the wall.

"Claire…" Karen made no attempt at hiding the fear in her voice.

"If he wanted us dead he could have just let that Marlboro kill us." Claire said, more to calm her own wrecked nerves than Karen's. "So…" She turned to Zamen, smiling warmly. "What's your name?"

Zamen put his hands behind his head and closed his covered eyes. "Go away."

"You're not a people person are you?" Claire sighed.

Loud snoring from the young mercenary was Claire's answer.

"Oh well…" Claire let out a deep breath. "I guess we're sleeping here tonight."

"Are you serious?" Clara asked shocked.

"Why not?" Claire wondered.

"He'll just leave when we fall asleep." Karen pointed out.

"No he won't." Claire assured herself more than Karen.

"Look…" Clara walked over to Claire. "I know you want to find your friends. But the only thing we know about this guy is he's Kazunian." Clara glanced at Zamen. "And really cute." She blushed. "But still he's the enemy."

"He's a Kazunian _Techmage_. That's all we know. That and he saved my life." Claire corrected.

Night fell on the Kazunian forest and the human inhabitants of the gray cave had long since fallen asleep. All but Claire, she wandered the thick woods close to the stone structure. "Damnit." She sighed. "Where am I?" Her eyes glanced back to the cave entrance then gazed up at the tree filled sky. "I'll find you Matt...I promise." Her eyes twitched at the echo of rustling brush growing at the base of a tree. "You gonna ditch us?" Her head turned to the source of the noise.

Zamen Kensata stood silently beside one of the massive trees of the forest, staring out at nothing in particular.

"If you were I suppose you wouldn't have let me know you were out here." Claire continued.

Zamen let his dark eyes gaze upon Claire. "What the hell do you want from me?"

Claire lowered her stare to the ground. "I…just want to find my friends."

"They're dead." Zamen said coldly.

The statement was like a knife stabbing deep into Claire's heart. At first she felt nothing, then a sharp tremor of pain made her eyes glisten as tears built up behind them. "I don't believe that." She gazed up into Zamen's eyes. "And you have no way of knowing if it's true."

"Koren never takes prisoners." Zamen leaned back against the tree.

Claire lowered her head and remained silent for a handful of moments. Her lungs pulled in a deep breath of the fresh air that gently rustled the large tree leaves surrounding her as she turned and faced Zamen. "Why did you save us?"

"I saved _you_." Zamen corrected.

"Why?" Claire asked again.

Zamen took in a breath of his own, his gaze still glued to the ground. "You…" He sighed and gazed up at Claire then took five steps towards her, closing the distance between them. He found it hard to speak as his eyes met hers. "You…remind me of someone."

"Who…?" Claire managed.

Another long silence ensued between the two before Zamen finally broke it. "It doesn't matter." He stepped around Claire and walked off towards the cave.

"Will you take us to Purgatain?" Claire asked without turning around.

"I'll take _you_." Zamen said. Before he vanished into the dark cave Zamen glanced back at Claire one last time. "My name is, Zamen."

Morning came faster than Claire expected and her eyes twitched from the bright heat of the sun shining through the tall trees into the cave. Her body slowly began to stir and her arms reflexively rose above her head as she stretched and yawned, her mind preparing her body for another day of life. Something unexpected interrupted her morning ritual however, a loud shriek bounced around the cave into her ears. Claire's eyes shot open and her hands instinctively grasped the hilts of her daggers. "The hell was that?" She glanced around the cave and saw Karen quickly rising to her feet after being awoken by the scream. Zamen was nowhere to be found.

"Clara?" Karen glanced around the cave. Her eyes widened as another loud scream rattled her brain. "Clara!" She darted out of the cave.

Claire sprung to her feet and dashed out of the cave then slid to a dusty halt three feet from the entrance. "Oh my god…"

Clara trembled in terror in the center of a circle of five Marlboros. "Stay back!" Her hand rose and a small bolt of lightning shot from her palm into one of the monsters. Her eyes widened as the spell only angered the beast.

Claire charged a fire spell and blasted the center Marlboro in the back of the head causing the beast to recoil forward. "Clara!" She screamed. "Run!" _Fire._ Another large fireball smacked into the back of the Marlboro knocking its face into the grassy ground of the forest. "Now!"

Clara didn't hesitate, she sprung to her feet and ran through the briefly opened hole between two of the monsters barely missing a swipe from one of the tentacles of the two Marlboros. "Mom!"

"Clara!" Karen wrapped her arms around her daughter as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Look out!" Claire shouted.

The three women fell back in horror as three of the Marlboros shot toxic bile from their large mouths towards them. Claire did not have any protective magic, however, her protective nature made her throw her body in front of Karen and Clara even though she knew it would do nothing to stop the poison streaming towards them. One second before the toxic liquid splashed over Claire's body, Zamen's teenage form, enhanced by a haste spell shot out head first from the trees and hovered sideways in front of her. A magic barrier pushed out from the Materia in his wristband and scattered the toxins in several different directions. Claire's eyes widened in shock and remained glued to Zamen.

Although a powerful _Techmage_, Zamen's barrier could not completely hold back the combined blasts from three Marlboros and as their toxic breath attacks subsided, Zamen's barrier shattered and the remaining poison splashed onto his forearm. The wounded warrior slammed into the ground and slid to a halt.

"Zamen!" Claire stood up about to dash over to Zamen when she noticed one of the Marlboros had turned its attention back to her. "Shit!"

"Mutha fucker…" Zamen growled through clenched teeth. He slowly rose to his feet, his eyes glaring a hole through all five Marlboros. "Hey!" He shouted.

All five Marlboros turned and snarled at Zamen.

"Get the _fuck _over here!" A dim red glow glistened behind his caramel eyes. "I'm not done with you bastards yet."

The Marlboros slithered across the ground towards Zamen.

Claire, Clara, and Karen looked on in shock as Zamen glared down the five mythical monsters.

Zamen's eyes closed and his body slowly rose a foot into the air and hovered there. His hands drew the two desert eagles holstered at his waist and aimed them out to either side of his body as a sky-blue aura emitted from him. Several tiny sky-blue orbs of light rose from the green grass around Zamen's body. Seconds later the orbs of light flattened then vanished and a circular sky-blue wave of energy erupted around Zamen. The Marlboros had closed most of the distance between themselves and Zamen and as the lead monster came within five feet of the mercenary the beasts roared in bloodthirsty anticipation then screeched in terror.

Zamen's eyes shot open as the wave of energy dispersed and a second later his desert eagles were in front of him, aimed at the Marlboros.

_Icestorm._ Two gold bullets covered in a sky-blue aura shot forward from the barrels of the two black an emerald colored desert eagles towards the lead Marlboro. In the split second before the bullets ripped into the Marlboro the aura consumed the golden metal. The bullets vanished and in there place a massive wave of icy mist exploded in front of and entangled the Marlboros.

"What…" Karen blinked, her arms still tightly wrapped around Clara. "What just happened?"

"Magic…very powerful magic." Claire said softly while trying to see through the thick icy cloud of mist.

Slowly, each Marlboro appeared out of the dissipating mist, the beasts reduced to sparkling ice statues.

Suddenly an ear piercing bang rattled Claire's brain and one of the statues shattered into thousands of pieces. "Zamen!"

"Fucking pieces of shit!" Zamen shouted as he shot another statue.

Claire ran over to Zamen and stopped two feet away from him. "Zamen! They're dead!" The bloodlust in his eyes frightened her. "You'll just attract more if you keep..." Another shot from Zamen's handgun shattered another Marlboro statue. "Stop!" Claire begged.

"Fucking…" Zamen gasped and his hand trembled from the weight of his desert eagle. "Bast…" His gun fell from his hand and he fell to his knees.

"Zamen!" Claire dropped to her knees and grabbed Zamen's shoulders. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Zamen chuckled and his lips formed a confident smirk before his eyes shut and his body fell forward.

Claire gasped as Zamen's chin landed on her shoulder. "What…?" She pushed him forward and scanned his body for any wounds then almost stumbled back at the sight of his poisoned forearm. His light brown skin had mutated into a pitch black pulsing lump of dying flesh with green and purple veins of poison coursing through it. "Oh my…!" Claire turned her terrified gaze to Karen and Clara. "Help me carry him inside! Hurry!"

"Two water pouches…three grenades…a useless beam rifle…" Claire repeated the supplies she managed to gather from her wrecked shuttle over and over again while gently rubbing a clean wet handkerchief across Zamen's forehead. "There's got to be something we can do!"

"There isn't anything we can do." Karen said grimly. "If any of us had any type of spell used to cure poison it would be him and he's in no condition to use it. Furthermore he would have used it before it got this bad and..."

"Enough!" Claire shouted.

"Fine." Karen sighed

"So what do we do?" Clara asked.

"I…I don't know." Claire admitted.

"Well…maybe…" Clara began.

"What?" Claire stared back at her.

"Well…we have cures for all types of poison back in Vandaria." Clara's voice was muffled as she had her hands wrapped around her legs and her mouth pressed against her knees.

"So? We're not _in_ Vandaria." Claire said annoyed.

"I _know_ that." Clara snapped. "What I mean is they produce the antidotes from the immune systems of the monsters that generate the poison."

"You mean…" Claire began.

"The liver…the pancreas…kidneys…" Karen started catching on to her daughter's plan.

"So if we just…" Clara began.

Claire pulled her daggers from her belt and glared out at the two remaining Marlboro ice statue's. She rose to her feet and darted out towards the beasts.

"Wait!" Clara got up and ran after Claire. "You have to be careful or you'll cut a hole in the organ before we're ready!"

A few minutes later after the three women had gathered all of the tools they needed; Claire blasted several key points around one of the Marlboro ice statues exposing dead bluish green flesh. She then cut deep into the beast and carefully removed the required organs with the flat sides of her daggers making sure none of the fluids touched her skin or clothes. After another handful of minutes Claire and Clara had mixed together a combination of leaves mud and Marlboro fluids that formed a thick paste that they spread across a large tree leaf. Claire placed the leaf over Zamen's forearm then poured the remaining fluid down his throat.

"You think it'll work?" Clara wondered.

"It has too…" Claire whispered.

"The chemicals inside the organs are what protect the Marlboros from their own poison. It may be a crude method of delivery but this should work." Karen assured them.

Zamen had watched the three women the entire time and willingly drank the fluid from the Marlboro organs. He didn't seem to care if the makeshift antidotes would work or not. His eyes remained glued to Claire as she stared down at him, hoping for some positive sign from the medicine. Suddenly his eyes rolled back and his body convulsed violently for ten seconds then went limp after he breathed out all of the air in his lungs. His eyes closed and his heart stopped.

"Zamen..." Claire placed her hands on his shoulders and shook him. "Zamen!"

All three women remained silent and motionless as if they were trapped within some timeless limbo. For twelve seconds they stayed this way until finally, Zamen began breathing again. All three women let out a sigh of relief then fell back against the cave wall. Claire picked the handkerchief up and smiled then she leaned back over Zamen and placed the cloth on his forehead. "You're a tough little guy aren't you?"

"Little?" Zamen asked with more annoyance than anger in his voice after coughing a few times.

Claire blushed without realizing it then held in a giggle. "Well…I didn't mean it _that_ way."

"Fucking better not…" Zamen warned silently.

"So how do you feel?" Claire asked while dipping the handkerchief in a bowl of water she gathered outside of the cave.

"Are you serious?" Zamen sighed.

"What?" Claire asked confused.

"Just go to sleep, those other two weirdos did." Zamen closed his eyes.

"You're kinda cute when you're angry." Claire smiled warmly.

"You don't want to see me angry." Zamen's voice grew darker.

"Well…whatever you are right now, you're cute when you're it." Claire giggled.

"So what? You wanna make out or something?" Zamen groaned.

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" She frowned at the crease in the young warrior's forehead. "You have a really bad headache don't you?"

"I _was_ poisoned." Zamen spat.

"Aww…" Claire smiled again.

"What…" Zamen slowly opened his eyes, "the fuck is wrong with you?"

"Nothing." Claire replied.

"You know I've killed hundreds of your countrymen right? Cut the girly bullshit you only helped me to get to whoever you think is at Purgatain." Zamen snapped.

"That's not true." Claire frowned. "You saved my life, twice."

_I know how to make her go away._ Zamen smirked. "And you saved mine once."

Claire nodded. "Yeah."

"So you still owe me." Zamen continued.

"I suppose…" Claire let her head lean to the side a little. "Where are you going with this?"

"Just figured out how you can even things out between us." Zamen's smirk widened almost forming a smile.

"What…?" Claire wondered.

"I think you know." Zamen said.

"I'm _not_ going to kiss you." Claire almost laughed.

"You wouldn't be kissing anything ever again if I decided to ignore you're pathetic screaming earlier." Zamen frowned.

"You…you can't be serious." Claire stared at Zamen dumbfounded.

_Why the hell hasn't she left me alone yet? Fuck it I'll just be blunt. _"That's how it is huh? You Vandarians don't honor your debts. Just go away, this headache is better company anyway."

Claire's eyes widened. "Why you…" She sighed. "You're serious?" Before Zamen could reply Claire pulled the handkerchief back, leaned forward, and pressed her lips against his. Three seconds later she pulled herself back. "Happy now?"

Zamen only gazed up at Claire in true bewilderment.

"Well…you better be." Claire said leaning back against the wall.

_What the hell just happened?_ Zamen wondered.

"So…" Claire gazed out at the forest. "I was wondering about something for a while." She continued as Zamen was still too shocked to speak. "Who was it I reminded you of when you saved me the first time?"

"I…" Zamen's mind slowly began to function again. "My…my…a friend."

"A _girl_friend?" Claire smiled.

"No." Zamen said softly.

"Is your headache getting any better?" Claire wondered.

"Headache?" Zamen's pain was gone and he had long since forgotten about it.

Claire giggled then yawned. "Well, that's good. I guess we should get some rest. How much farther is it before we get to Purgatain?"

"I don't know." Zamen replied.

"How can you not know how long it's going to take?" Claire laughed teasingly.

"I just go places." Zamen said. "I don't pay attention to how long it takes."

Claire chuckled before speaking. "Well…I hope it won't take _too_ long." She yawned again. "Well…good…" she glanced outside the cave, "afternoon." Her eyes closed and her breathing slowed.

_What the __**fuck**__ just happened?_ Zamen glanced around the cave.

**

* * *

**The Next Day**  
**

* * *

The warm soothing heat of the sun caressed Claire's eyelids. "Zamen?" When her eyes opened the realization that Zamen had disappeared generated a slight tremor of surprise in her chest. She scanned the cave and quickly spotted Clara and Karen still sleeping against the cave wall. Several loud howls and screeches from the forest wildlife brought the young _Techmage_ to her feet. As she peered outside the cave, she saw Zamen standing about ten meters from the entrance. "There you are." The fact that he didn't answer didn't surprise her. She walked over to him then stopped beside him.

Zamen stood as still as a stone statue with his arms folded and his gaze piercing the dense plant life of the forest. "It's time to go."

"Yeah…" Claire agreed. As she glanced around she realized that the sunlight was dimmer than she remembered before falling asleep. "It's morning. Holy shit we slept the whole day _and_ night!"

"The edge of the forest is this way." Zamen said, titling his head to the left.

"Ok." Claire replied. "I'll wake up, Clara and, Karen."

**

* * *

Author's Note: Well there it is, chapter 6. Thanks to everyone who put this story on their alert list and a very big thanks to my (one -_-) reviewer. I'm not exactly sure where I'm going to take things from here and at the same time I know exactly where I'm going to take things from here. Weird huh? Hope I haven't pissed off too many FF7 fans but if I have...oh well ._. I mean come on it's not like I'm disgracing anything from FF7 this story basically has nothing to do with it if that wasn't obvious from America and friggin Britain being some of the countries on the planet. I'm just borrowing the Materia. There are going to be (already have been for those keen on their Final Fantasy history) references to other FF games in this story. From the 1-5 world to 8. Won't go past 8 though as I feel the games have been on a steady decline since then...except for the online version that one was ok. But since the fighting system is mainly FF7 I put the story here in the FF7 category. Anyway hope you all enjoyed this chapter and are kind enough to jot down your thoughts. Until the next chapter...**


	8. The Tower

**Chapter Seven  
**

**THE TOWER  
**

**

* * *

**Purgatain

* * *

On the outside it was vast, tall, and cylinder with a pointed tip. A dark pitch-black void amidst a golden sea of sand. On the outside its adamantium born body towered nearly two miles above the sand dunes below. It's four blackened spires, spaced evenly apart two hundred feet below the tip, reached up as if they would pierce the blue barrier between earth and the ebony heavens above. On the outside there was no source of light emitting from the black thing that grew from the bright golden ground like an abnormal scab over a long since healed wound. A scab that now took on a life of its own, harboring no pity for those trapped within.

On the inside it was dark. No light from the life giving sun penetrated the inner sanctum of the black thing. The inner sanctum being the many thousands of cells that lined the walls. Prison cells. Two hundred and fifty identical levels each with twenty five prison cells made up eighty percent of the structure. There were no bars. There were no windows. Not one sound generated from inside the small six foot by six foot cells could ever be heard by anyone from the outside world.

Inside the cells, however, those who had not yet been educated on the hopelessness of hope were often times prone to shouting, shrieking, and cursing the very existence of their dark prison. Enveloped in an endless seemingly borderless black void, those trapped within the black mesh would scream to their heart's content. First they would curse their captors, those that brought them to their current hell. Next they would curse their past mistakes that resulted in their being captured. Finally, though the exact time would vary among prisoners, they would curse themselves. They would curse themselves for allowing their own capture. They would curse themselves for not dying before being captured. Ultimately, those that still drew breath would curse themselves for not having the courage to end their own existence, resolved in their decision to endure another dark day of insanity inducing solitude.

One prisoner had just reached the final stage that preceded self inflicted death.

His once bright green hair was now blackened by the dirt, sweat, and grime that covered his body. It now clung to his scalp and forehead never moving. His clothes were gone. Replaced by the human waste covered prison clothes of the cell's former resident. Not that it mattered as no eyes, not even his own could look upon his broken body. An unbearable stench surrounded him. The odor literally burned the man's nostrils as the rotten air flowed into his lungs. The prisoner soon realized after exploring his small soon to be tomb that the stench came from the cell's former resident. There was nothing inside the cell except the decaying remains of its former residents and their waste. The current prisoner discovered these horrid facts while feeling around in the dark, exploring the room.

Death didn't only cross the prisoner's mind as an inevitable outcome. His disoriented thoughts soon began visualizing the end as his only salvation. A peaceful slumber from which he would never have to wake. A portal into a new realm of bliss far away from the inhumane tortures of his current residence. Slowly, the man's consciousness started wavering. The frequency of this phenomena increased as the length between the prisoner's meals increased. Everyday another hour was added on to the time a small automated rectangular section of the cell door would slide open and a robotic arm would garnish a tray full of insect infested bread and water.

No light shined when the hole opened.

When his consciousness finally left him the prisoner's dreams filled yet again with images of his past.

Here in his dreamworld, the prisoner was no longer a prisoner. No. He was a powerful warrior, surrounded by his comrades and enemies in a mythical magical battle. The type of battle written of in fairy tales. The type of battle spoke of in myths and legends. The warrior was in a battle against things that those of the distant past would refer to as demons and what lay before him was none other than a monster many, even in his time, believed to be a god.

This particular god held sway over the very essence of water itself and used the life giving substance to hand out the most gruesome of deaths.

The warrior could only gaze out at the god in terror, knowing that his time had come. However, as his mind prepared itself for the end, the most unexpected thing that could happen to the warrior, happened.

_Take him._

The words echoed inside the warrior's mind even while the snake-arm of water crushed him against the metallic walls of the mythical battleground. The words stayed with him even after the snake-arm flung him across the landscape into a dark void inside a metallic transport. It was then the warrior became a prisoner.

Darkness was his entire world now.

The impenetrable door that kept him trapped within the cell did not remain closed forever. Every so often, it would open. No light would shine through the newly formed entryway. No. The technological horrors of the prison saw to that. Every so often the door would open, and through it two dark figures would seize the prisoner and carry him off down the darkened pathways of wherever it was the prisoner was. After sometimes a few seconds and sometimes an eternity the prisoner would be thrown against something and tormented.

Laughing. Snickers. Chuckles. The prisoner could hear it with what was left of his sense of hearing.

Poking. Prodding. Cutting. Burning. The prisoner could feel it with what was left of his sense of touch.

The pain was excruciating but oddly welcomed. The pain, the prisoner felt, it at least let him know he was still alive. It was the only thing he felt save the continuously cold stone floors of his cell.

They wouldn't kill him. So he wouldn't die.

_Who am I?_ The prisoner somehow brought his mind into focus. _Who am I?_

How long had it been since his own words echoed inside of his head? _Were_ these his own words? The prisoner didn't know.

_Where am I?_ Again the voice spoke to him.

_Where...is she? Where...is...Claire?_

**_

* * *

_**

Purgatain: Ground Level

* * *

Another bright and sunny morning shined onto the face of Cheng Suzaka, head warden of the infamous mana prison, Purgatain. His quarters inside the gargantuan black spire, an expensively furnished luxurious apartment, said more about the warden's character than any dossier author could hope to portray. Everything, down to the placement of his toothbrush was meticulously set in his own mandated order down to the last centimeter. The ventilation system that ran through the spire was given a special integration inside Cheng's home. The system worked as a makeshift airlock sanitizer, not letting one germ or speck of dust inside the apartment.

Cheng was not germaphobic. He wore no special protection suits while walking the halls and circular catwalks of his prison. No. Instead, Cheng valued luxury and status over almost anything else. If there was something as sophisticated and expensive as a personal germ filtered disposal system that could be installed within ones home that only a select few could attain, Cheng would be one of those select few.

Back in Nakul, while revered as one of the few gifted Generals within the Kazunian regular army, the respect Cheng received was not from those he wanted it from. Only those with little aptitude towards magic saw him as anything more than soldier.

_A soldier_. The former General frowned at his thoughts while getting dressed.

Those who wielded the real power in world, the _Techmages_, those were the ones he demanded respect from. The acknowledgment was something that should never be given, only earned. Cheng knew this and felt that after twenty-five years of excellence in service to the army, after thousands of battles won against foreign aggressors, and after going as far as defeating an entire _battalion_ commanded by _five_ enemy _Techmages_ with his heavily unmatched armor company back in his glory days as an N.C.O., Cheng felt that his respect amongst the magical warriors of his nation was due.

However, none of them shared Cheng's opinion.

It was common knowledge amongst the regular branches of the military and the one special branch that harbored _Techmages_ that those with a high affinity towards magic were the new upper class of society. They were the ones thrown into the public's eye on a daily bases even though their missions and identities were largely kept secret. Cheng would always scoff at how the media would never bother reporting any military operations unless they in someway involved a _Techmage_. This fact sickened him.

There were many individuals under his command that suddenly began showing signs of latent magical endurance and were immediately pulled from his units into the testing grounds at _Drakoneasho_. Individuals that Cheng deemed to be wastes to the Kazunian Empire. These disobedient, self centered, insubordinate, undisciplined rejects were whisked away to become the new "rock stars" of the military. They would return to Cheng's unit, cocky and arrogant with none of the small respect they had for their commanding officer's rank.

They never respected him as a man, only his rank.

Cheng would have none of it. He would not have some pompous magic using private ordering him around during a mission just because they happened to be up against enemy _Techmages_. The transfer papers were waiting for the newly trained soldiers before their training even began. Against the suggestions-as his superiors always called them-of his commanding officers, Cheng never allowed _Techmages_ into his unit. Not even when his unit was designated to be at the forefront of every large scale conflict the country would endure. His superiors would never change those suggestions into orders for two reasons.

One: his unit never lost a battle.

Two: he would resign if ever forced to operate with a _Techmage_.

Cheng knew he was too valuable to the army for them to simply brush his personal feelings aside. So they gave him what he wanted. However, to Cheng's great dissatisfaction, what he really wanted he could never have.

Until now.

While respect from _Techmage _units would forever remain out of his reach, fear and the satisfaction of being the cause of that fear, the fear that filled the hearts of every magic user within Purgatain...

That satisfaction would be his.

It was on this bright day like any other that the ground level floors that made up the first twenty percent of Purgatain came to life with the bustling activity of the one hundred prison guards and twenty prison staff workers currently stationed at the facility. That twenty percent being the first three floors of the mana prison. On the ground floor, Cheng emerged from his lavish apartment and shut the door behind him. He placed his hands on his hips and his commanding presence beamed from his stance. He gave his clothes a brief once-over before starting out towards the front lobby of the prison.

The long black boots he wore clicked with each step he took and his dark beige khaki pants, tucked into the boots, ruffled as he walked. A thin black belt with a bright golden buckle adorned with three stars, which represented his former rank as a General, held up the khakis and kept the beige button down dress shirt tucked beneath the pants in place. The long beige overcoat he wore born from expensive vicuna fabrics fluttered behind Cheng as he walked and his dark red tie whisked along the wind, occasionally brushing against his shoulder.

When Cheng reached the center of the spire his eyes, covered with dark brown sunglasses gazed up towards the two mile high ceiling of the prison. Built rather ingeniously in Cheng's opinion, above ground level floors used by the prison guards and staff, no traditional means of reaching the upper levels such as stairs or elevators existed. Instead there were fifty cheap low powered shuttles that harbored no doors or roofs save for the pilot compartment that at any given time during the day would transport a number of guards directly up the center of the spire to one of the many prison floors. There the guards would step off onto the circular catwalks that connected the prison cells. As an added security measure several thick adamantium born sheets of metal were built into the walls just below each catwalk. If need be, the sheets would extend outward and connect in the center of the spire forming a circular shield preventing anyone from escaping that level of the prison.

It was this morning that Cheng decided to pay a visit to the newest "guest" to arrive at his prison. Cheng took pleasure in riding the shuttles up the center of the spire. He felt, while gazing down from the borderless platform he now stood on with two armored guards at his sides, more now than ever he felt that this spire was his kingdom and everyone in it his subject. Here, surrounded by the vast barren desert known as Zerkana, Cheng's will was law. This fact was the reason why the former General declined the regular work schedule all wardens before him had followed.

Prison guards and staff that operated Purgatain had a one week on, one week off schedule due to the fact that the prison was located so far away from civilization. Every week a shuttle transport would take one shift away and replace them with another. Even while the guards and staff were for all intents and purposes "off duty" while away from the prison they were still paid during their off time as long as they returned to the prison. Only the select few shuttle pilots ferrying the employees back and forth knew of the facility's location. Only the select few pilots and, head Warden Cheng Suzaka.

As Cheng and the guards stepped off of the shuttle onto the fiftieth floor the darkness of the upper levels had already consumed their vision. Cheng hated the idea of constantly having to fiddle with night vision goggles so instead he sent out a request to an old friend, Cyrus Blank, to design a new brand of night vision devices suited for the unique prison facility. The results of that request were the sunglasses that Cheng and every prison guard wore while on duty. The glasses automatically compensated for light and darkness. When the presence or absence of light touched the outer lenses of the device a small microchip set a series of tiny machines into motion that automatically compensated for the change. Now the prison employees could literally see in the dark with no need of even flipping a switch. The invention, now in mass production has spread to most of the Kazunian military.

Cheng knew that the torture officer currently on duty at Purgatain had already begun utilizing his expertise on the new prisoner. A fact evident by the loud screams emanating from the center hall that led to the torture chamber that every floor harbored. The excuse the government used for the creation of the chambers and branch of officers that ran them always brought a slight smirk to the former General's face. Those in power argued that since such individuals who are blessed with the gift of magic would turn to crime such as those whom started the great magic wars of the past, which nearly destroyed the human race, any cruel and unusual form of punishment for such individuals is not only acceptable but encouraged.

A low hum echoed down the hall as an automated metal door slid back after receiving the proper entry codes from the head warden. The loud agonized scream that erupted from the captured _Techmage_ strapped down to a large metallic chair brought a grin to the warden's face.

"I see your dedication to your..._work_ is still...lucrative" Cheng chuckled and removed a pair of brown leather gloves from his overcoat.

The warden's words barely penetrated the bubble of deranged ecstasy emanating from the torture officer or _Shadow Claw_ as they were known through staff gossip. The Shadow Claw gazed up at the new arrivals to his chamber and a toothy grin covered his face at the sight of the warden.

"Warden Suzaka." With the handle gripped tightly in the Shadow Claw's right hand, the lethal end of a small cutting tool that resembled a crude crossing between a scythe and a scalpel was buried beneath the prisoner's skin. "Always," he yanked the blade from the prisoner, extracting another pain filled shriek, "a pleasure."

"How is our guest holding up against the hallucinogens?" Cheng asked while placing his gloved hand under the prisoner's chin, lifting the man's head to better examine his eyes.

The torture chamber was brightly lit, so in order to avoid letting any light into the vision of the many prisoners within Purgatain, specially designed contact lenses were stuck to their eyes. The technology within the lenses gave them the reverse effect of the sunglasses Cheng wore. The lenses were coated with a moisture resistant glue that kept the prisoners from clawing them out.

The Shadow Claw chuckled at the question. "All perception is lost. Hours become days. Days weeks. Weeks months. Months years." His protruding belly bounced as he made his way over to a table littered with many different tools used in the ancient art of torture. "You really have it in for this one." He plucked a small syringe from the table and filled it with the thin purple liquid contained within a small bottle. "I wonder is your grudge personal or professional? Did this one wrong you in some way?"

"No." Cheng eyed the man, the Shadow Claw as he filled the syringe. "No more than any of the other arrogant magic users in this world."

The torture officer also wore a brown overcoat although less expensive. A white shirt covered by a red buttoned down vest covered his large upper body while dark brown pants and black boots covered his lower half. Long red hair covered his head, extending just below his chin, some strands clinging to the side of his cheeks. His dim green eyes returned from the syringe to the prisoner.

"You know. I had only used this on one prisoner after I invented it." The Shadow Claw admitted while injecting the drug into his victim. "The effects were so potent that I didn't have the heart to inflict its wrath on the others."

Cheng scoffed at the comment as his eyes took in the many torture tools the Shadow Claw wielded on a daily basis. The bloodstains and human waste covering the walls and floor did much in contradicting the torture officer's statement.

"I think what you mean is, you found the one torture method that even the government found too cruel to sanction." Cheng said, correcting the Shadow Claw's false statement.

"Yes. That is until, at your request, a mass production and daily dosage protocol was set in place. You have my deepest gratitude."

"Happy to help."

Cheng caught himself grimacing at his last statement. Was he indeed really "happy" to help? When it came to _Techmages _or anyone with magical affinity for that matter, Cheng never turned a sympathetic ear to their pleas. However, had his hatred consumed him so much to the point that he no longer viewed these individuals as human, deserving of dignity and compassion?

After another scream from the prisoner brought yet another flutter of sweet grudge induced satisfaction to the former General's lips in the form of a small grin, an answer to those questions echoed inside his mind.

_I guess so._ The warden chuckled as he thought. _Normal humans can have my sympathy. These pompous freaks can rot just like the burnt witches of the past continue to rot._

"Doctor Sogawa." Cheng called out to the Shadow Claw after the torture officer had finished slicing off another piece of flesh from the prisoner.

"Yes?" Sogawa glanced up, splattered blood dripping from his chin.

"Keep up the good work."

With that the warden turned on his heel and exited the torture chamber, his two guard escort in tow, and made his way back to the shuttle platform that extended out from the circular railing. As the shuttle descended from the darkness of the upper levels, Cheng reminisced about the new prisoner and the reason he received more attention than his peers.

* * *

Zerkana Desert: Eighteen Days Ago

* * *

Cheng slowly stepped down the exit ramp of his personal A.T.R. and slowly gazed up into the brightly sunlit sky as a standard Kazunian military transport shuttle descended through the dust filled air to the ground. The shuttle hatch opened with a snap hiss and Koren Danton emerged from the craft with a satisfied smirk and confident stride. Behind the _Techmage_ two armed imperial soldiers led a bound and blindfolded Vandarian prisoner towards the A.T.R..

A tremor of anger arose inside Cheng's chest at the sight of Koren's magic oriented equipment.

"Specialist Danton." The anger subsided quickly. Cheng decided he would rather revel in the gain of a new magic prisoner rather than let the presence of a magic ally ruin his good mood.

"Specialist? It's been so long...I had forgotten my _official_ rank." Koren chuckled.

"A disgraceful luxury among many disgraceful luxuries afforded to you spell casting abomi..."

"We're both grown adults here, warden." Koren interrupted. "We can conduct our business without childish name calling."

"Indeed." Cheng frowned while folding his arms. "Well then. Get to the reason why you are still standing here."

Koren glanced over Cheng's shoulder at his former prisoner being led into the A.T.R. then centered his cold caramel eyes onto Cheng's sunglass covered eyes. "I have touched the essence of a god, Cheng. I have seen into the depths of eternity. The things we cherish here...these pitiful distractions we hold so near and dear to our hearts. Pointless...pointless and dangerous distractions."

Cheng's eyebrows rose at the near spiritual words from the evil _Techmage_. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Hell..." Koren smiled as his eyes trailed off into the cloudy sky. _Soon_. His gaze returned to Cheng. "That one," Koren pointed briefly at the prisoner's back and then lowered his arm, "I saw him too."

"Saw him where?"

"In the first age...there were four. There were four of them...bathed in light. Among those four...there was always one that increased the light of the others." Koren lowered his stare to the sandy ground and closed his eyes. "Your new...addition...I saw him...bathed in the light."

No words came to Cheng's mind. He could only gaze out in complete bewilderment as Koren turned and reentered his shuttle with the soldiers. As the exit ramp rose, Koren stopped and turned his head to the side, leaving Cheng with one last slew of words.

"You can have your fun but remember that I'll be back for him. Keep him..._intact_ until then." The ramp closed with a metallic clank and Koren Danton was removed from Cheng's sight.

Cheng watched as the shuttle ascended into the air, the look of confusion remaining glued to his face until the craft had long since left his range of sight. "Bathed in the light?"

* * *

Purgatain: Now

* * *

Even now, twenty floors below Sogawa's chamber on the fiftieth floor, Cheng could hear the screams erupting from his new prisoner. Each agonized fit of torment cut and beaten out of the magic using bastard was sweet music to Cheng's ears.

Suddenly the feint yet familiar sound of a blowtorch ignited into existence bringing a satisfied smirk to the warden's face.

_Oh I'll keep him intact. Even though your deluded insanity died with you I'll keep him alive._

His smirking lips slowly formed a maniacal smile.

"Just so I can listen to him beg me for death."


End file.
